U.S. denies it conducted a new airstrike in Iraq
There are conflicting reports regarding a new air strike in Iraq that targeted an Iraqi militia late on Friday on Taji road north of Baghdad.
Initial reports said that it was conducted by the US but the US-led coalition in Iraq said it did not carry out Saturday’s airstrikes near Taj stadium in Baghdad that killed several people.
Air strikes targeting Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces umbrella grouping of Iran-backed Shi’ite militias near camp Taji north of Baghdad have killed six people and critically wounded three, an Iraqi army source told Reuters late on Friday.
The statement denying US involvement was issued from the US-led coalition, which is in Iraq and Syria to fight Islamic State, and was tweeted out by a spokesman for Operation Inherent Resolve, Colonel Myles B Caggins.
FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days.
— OIR Spokesperson (@OIRSpox) January 4, 2020
Al Jazeera earlier reported that new US air raid targeted a commander of Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary forces has instead killed at least six people early on Saturday, according to news reports, a day after a drone attack by the United States killed top Iranian general, Qassem Soleimani.
Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), denied that a senior commander was in the convoy.
Al Jazeera reported that at least six people, including medics, were killed in the latest raid. Reuters news agency reported that three other people were critically wounded.
Taji Road, where the attack took place, leads to a base belonging to non-US coalition forces, including British and Italian troops, according to Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Baghdad.
