Iran-Backed Kataeb Hezbollah Suspends Military Operations On US Troops In Iraq
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Hashim Sheikh
- . January 31, 2024
- . Update: January 31, 2024 1:27 pm
The Iraqi armed group Kataeb Hezbollah, backed by Iran, has stopped its military actions against American troops.
This group is known for being close to Iran and has been involved in several attacks against U.S. forces. The decision to stop these attacks is to avoid causing problems for the Iraqi government.
Recently, three American soldiers were killed near the Jordan-Syria border. The U.S. thinks Kataeb Hezbollah was behind this, but they’re still checking.
Kataeb Hezbollah started after the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003. They’re part of a bigger group of hardline Shi’ite fighters who have attacked U.S. forces more than 150 times since the Gaza war began in early October.
The Iraqi government, which has connections to Iran, has criticized these attacks. They say that as long as the Gaza war continues, problems in the region will keep happening.
The U.S. Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin, said America will protect its troops. But the U.S. government, led by President Joe Biden, doesn’t want a war with Iran.
Kataeb Hezbollah announced their decision on Telegram, a messaging app. Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, their leader, said they want to avoid embarrassing the Iraqi government but will keep supporting their people in Gaza in different ways.
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The U.S. didn’t say much about this announcement, just that they judge actions more than words. They’ve promised to respond to the attack that killed the three soldiers.
Groups supporting Iran have attacked Israeli and U.S. targets in several countries. These attacks started when Hamas, their ally in Palestine, began a war with Israel, causing a lot of deaths and taking hostages.
The U.S. has hit back with strikes in Syria and Iraq. Iraqi officials are worried this could harm the country’s stability.
The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, has been trying to stop things from getting worse after the Jordan attack.
His foreign affairs adviser, Farhad Alaadin, said everyone should help the Prime Minister’s efforts to calm the situation.
Iran denies having a direct role in these attacks. They say their groups act independently. Iraq’s government is supported by groups close to Iran, but not directly by those attacking U.S. forces.
