Iraq’s Hashd al-Sha’abi raps US-led forces over targeting its base in al-Anbar

Commander of the volunteer forces – better known by the Arabic word Hashd al-Sha’abi – in Western Anbar, Qassim Mosleh, told the Arabic-language al-Forat news agency that Danish forces launched eight artillery rounds at a base belonging to the pro-government fighters in the Sa’ada area of al-Qa'im district, located nearly 400 kilometers northwest of the capital Baghdad, on Sunday evening.

Mosleh added that the projectiles slammed into an area close to the base, describing the incident as a “deliberate attack.” No Hashd al-Sha’abi fighter was dead or injured as a result.

Meanwhile, six Daesh terrorists were killed when Iraqi fighter jets carried out an airstrike against a militant position in the eastern province of Diyala.

Commander of the Tigris Operations Command, Mazhar al-Izzawi, told Arabic-language al-Sumaria television network that the military aircraft struck an area on the outskirts of Khanaqin district, emphasizing that the assault was mounted following accurate intelligence reports.

Separately, four Iraqi army troopers lost their lives when they engaged in an exchange of gunfire with Daesh Takfiris northwest of Mosul.

Lieutenant General Hazem Tawfiq told Arabic-language Basnews news agency that government forces launched a large-scale counter-terrorism operation in Badush Mountains, combing the area for Daesh remnants.

Tawfiq added that the offensive led to skirmishes with a group of extremists who had been hiding in a tunnel. The militants managed to flee after the clashes.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, who is also the commander-in-chief of Iraqi forces, pledged on June 30 to hunt down Daesh terrorists across Iraq after a series of attacks and abductions carried out by the terrorist group.

“We will chase the remaining cells of terrorism in their hideouts and we will kill them, we will chase them everywhere, in the mountains and the desert,” Abadi said.

Abadi declared the end of military operations against Daesh in the Arab country on December 9, 2017.

On July 10 that year, the Iraqi prime minister had formally declared victory over Daesh in Mosul, which served as the terrorists’ main urban stronghold in the conflict-ridden Arab country.

In the run-up to Mosul's liberation, Iraqi army soldiers and volunteer Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters had made sweeping gains against Daesh.

Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January 2017 after 100 days of fighting, and launched the battle in the west on February 19 last year.

Daesh began a terror campaign in Iraq in 2014, overrunning vast swathes in lightning attacks.

KD