Photo: IANS
New Delhi: Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) said that eight of its members were killed and four others injured in joint Saudi-US airstrikes targeting its positions across Iraq.
Saudi Arabia and the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the strikes targeted Iran-backed militias allegedly responsible for attacks on American troops and Saudi energy infrastructure.
The Saudi Defence Ministry stated that the operation was carried out in response to recent drone attacks, claiming that Saudi air defences had intercepted and destroyed several drones launched from Iraqi territory by Iran-aligned militias targeting petroleum facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh. The Kingdom added that it did not seek escalation but would respond to any aggression, Al Jazeera reported.
In response, the PMF described the strikes as a dangerous escalation and alleged that they violated Iraq's sovereignty as well as its official security institutions. The organisation, whose factions are backed by Iran, maintained that it forms part of Iraq's state security apparatus.
The Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq denied involvement in the alleged drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, dismissing the Saudi allegations as fabricated. The group also warned that any hostile action by Saudi Arabia would invite a strong response.
The PMF has long remained a point of contention between Iraq, the United States and neighbouring countries. Although Iraqi law recognises the PMF as part of the country's security forces under the authority of the prime minister, successive governments have faced difficulties in curbing the influence of some of its factions, which have been accused of independently targeting US diplomatic missions and military bases.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is expected to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, days after directing Iraqi security agencies to investigate the reported drone attacks targeting the Kingdom.