By Ahmed Rasheed
March 24 (Reuters) – Airstrikes targeting a site belonging to Iraq’s Shi’ite Popular Mobilization Forces in the western province of Anbar killed at least 15 fighters, including the PMF’s Anbar operations commander, and wounded 30 others, security and health sources told Reuters early on Tuesday.
The PMF confirmed in a statement the death of its Anbar commander, Saad al-Baiji, and 14 of his companions. It accused the United States of carrying out the attack, saying a U.S. airstrike targeted a command headquarters while personnel were on duty.
Health sources said some of the wounded were in critical condition and the death toll could rise.
The strikes targeted the PMF headquarters during a security meeting attended by senior commanders, the sources added.
The PMF, known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, is an umbrella group of mostly Shi’ite paramilitary factions that was formally integrated into Iraq’s state security forces and includes several groups aligned with Iran.
Tehran-backed armed groups have launched attacks on U.S. bases in Iraqsince the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in February, raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
The conflict has spilled beyond Iran’s borders, with Tehran launching strikes on Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military installations, while Israel has carried out attacks in Lebanon following cross-border fire by Iran-aligned Hezbollah.
(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Additional reporting by Enas Alashray and Yomna Ehab; Editing by Lincoln Feast)
