Pro-Iran Hashd Continue Attacks Upon US Interests In Iraq

Pro-Iran Attacks Against US Interests In Iraq – January 2020

Date	Type of Attack	Location
Jan 4	Rockets	Jadriya, Baghdad
	Rockets	Green Zone, Baghdad
	Mortars	Balad Air Base, Salahaddin
Jan 5	Rockets	Green Zone, Baghdad
Jan 8	Rockets	Green Zone, Baghdad
Jan 12	Rockets	Balad Air Base, Salahaddin
Jan 14	Rockets	Camp Taji, Baghdad

On January 2 the United States killed Iranian Revolutionary Guards Quds Force commander General Qasim Suleimani and the deputy head of the Hashd Commission Abu Muhandis in Baghdad. The Iranians responded by firing ballistic missiles at the Ain Assad base in Anbar that houses U.S. forces and Irbil airport on January 7. Tehran’s Iraqi allies said they would have their day as well, which has been playing out with a constant barrage of mortars and rockets on American interests in Iraq.

Qais Khazali of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq (AAH) warned that the pro-Iran Hashd wanted payback for Abu Muhandis. On January 8 Khazali said that Iran had responded to General Suleimani, and now it was time for the Iraqis to do the same for Muhandis. That’s what’s occurring now.

In January there have been seven incidents aimed at U.S. interests that have the mark of groups allied with Iran. On January 4, rockets hit the Green Zone in Baghdad and Balad Air Base in Salahaddin, along with mortars landing in the Jadriya neighborhood in the capital,  The next day and January 8 more rockets hit the Green Zone. Then on January 12 Balad was targeted again, followed by more missiles fired at Camp Taji in northern Baghdad province on January 14. After the attack upon Balad Harakat al-Nujaba Tweeted that the Iran’s allies were behind the attack. While this fire has been aimed at the Americans only Iraqis have been the victims. Five civilians and nine soldiers have been wounded as a result.

Pro-Iran groups seem undeterred. If one of these attacks kills an America as occurred in December the Trump administration will likely carry out another strike against them. These Hashd units don't seem to care however wanting to show that they are opposed to the U.S. presence in Iraq, and motivated by the deaths of Suleimani and Muhandis.

SOURCES

Agence France Presse, “Iraq parliament demands US troop ouster after Soleimani killing,” 1/5/20

Bas News, “Coalition Confirms Attacks on Iraqi Bases Hosting US Troops,” 1/5/20

Al Forat, “Urgent wounded 6, including two officers, by bombing the Balad base,” 1/12/20

Gaouette, Nicole, Alkhshali, Hamdi, Browne, Ryan and Starr, Barbara, “Iran attacks two Iraqi bases housing US forces in ‘revenge’ for Soleimani’s death,” CNN, 1/7/20

Al Hurra, “Soleimani’s strike and the engineer … pictures and videos of remains and fire near Baghdad airport,” 1/3/20

Nabil, Seven, “Media staff from Al-Nujaba Militia tweeted then deleted this “ Balad Air Force base where soldiers of the American occupation are present, it looks like the Resistance shook it with several rockets, death to America” deleted once it was clear the injured were Iraqi Airforce #Iraq,” Twitter, 1/12/20

NINA, "2 Katyusha Rockets Target The Green Zone Near The US Embassy," 1/9/20

- “Al-Khazali-Now is the time to respond to the assassination of Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis,” 1/8/20

- "Three soldiers were wounded by three mortar shells at Balad Air Force Base," 1/4/20

Reuters, “Five wounded in mortar attack on Baghdad neighborhood – police sources,” 1/4/20

- “Multiple rockets fall in Green Zone, Baghdad, air base – Iraqi military,” 1/4/20

Rudaw, “Rockets hit Taji military base: Iraqi Security Media Cell,” 1/14/20

Al Sumaria, “What happened in the Green Zone, central Baghdad, just before,” 1/5/20