Iran affiliated groups from Iraq threaten to attack US Soldiers -

Baghdad/Washington: Iran affiliated group Kataib Hezbollah threatened ‘The gates for Jihad against the US soldiers deployed in Iraq, responsible for killing General Soleimani, have been thrown open. This is a big opportunity for all the jihadis, from Iraq or outside Iraq. Enter Iraq and attack the US soldiers.’ The United States has, once again, refused to withdraw its military from Iraq. The US group, Site Intelligence Group, claimed that the Iraqi group has issued this threat given this refusal.

Interim Iraqi Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, once again appealed to the United States, for complete military withdrawal. Mahdi said that as per the resolution passed by the Iraqi parliament, the US military withdrawal is necessary for the security of the Iraqi sovereignty. Mahdi said that he suggested to US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, the option for gradual withdrawal, during a discussion on Thursday night. The United States dismissed this Iraqi proposal.

The US State Department said that there is no possibility of the US military withdrawal from Iraq as the deployment is justified. Following the US refusal, Iran affiliated militant group, Kataib Hezbollah, appealed for Lone Wolf attacks on the US soldiers. At the same time, the group has threatened, in a new video, to attack the military vehicles, patrol units and military bases, of the United States.

US intelligence agencies have claimed that Kataib was responsible for the attacks on the Green Zone in Iraq. Whereas, it is being said that it was Kataib who assisted Iran, in launching 22 rockets on the US military bases. Reports have also been published that the Kataib terrorists smuggled ballistic missiles through the Iraq-Syria route. The importance of the threat issued by the group increases further, against this background.

Meanwhile, the United States has taken a patient stance by avoiding a military retaliation, despite the rocket shower on its military bases. This has blunted the possibility of a major conflict in the Gulf, in the near future. But the western analysts are claiming that the activities of the Iran affiliated groups, against the United States and Israel, could spark a conflict.