Casualties reported as airstrikes hit Popular Mobilization Forces position in western Iraq

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) – Two airstrikes hit a position belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in western Iraq on Sunday evening, resulting in casualties, Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said.

In a statement, the Security Media Cell of the Joint Operations Command said the attack targeted a position of the PMF Brigade 45 in the Akashat area at 9:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).

The statement said the attack resulted in “a number of casualties,” without giving an exact figure.

Further details would be provided once investigations are completed, it added.

The PMF, also known as the Hashd al-Shaabi, was originally formed on June 14, 2014, as a volunteer force supporting Iraqi security forces in the fight against the ISIS (Daesh) terror group. It was formally incorporated into Iraq’s armed forces by a government decree in July 2016.

Regional tensions escalated on Saturday after the US and Israel launched an attack on Iran, killing several top Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Tehran retaliated with a series of drone and missile attacks that targeted Israel, US assets and several Gulf countries.