Baghdad warns U.S. over ‘attacks’ on Iraq

US forces deployed in Iraq and Syria were attacked at least 74 times

Agence France-Presse·4 December 2023, 12:20 am·1 min read

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Baghdad warns U.S. over ‘attacks’ on Iraq — Journalists watch a large screen showing the Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani addressing the International Peace Summit hosted by the Egyptian president in the New Administrative Capital (NAC), about 45 kilometres east of Cairo, on October 21, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. Thousands of people, both Israeli and Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, after Palestinian Hamas militants based in the Gaza Strip, entered southern Israel in a surprise attack leading Israel to declare war on Hamas in Gaza on October 8. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Iraq's prime minister warned Washington on Saturday against any "attack" on Iraqi territory, after a resumption of fighting in the Israel-Hamas war renewed concerns of a wider conflict.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani made his comment during a phone call made to him by United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Sudani's office said.

Sudani also said the Iraqi government is committed "to ensuring the safety of the international coalition advisers present in Iraq."

On 22 November, US fighter jets struck two targets in Iraq, killing nine pro-Iran fighters in retaliation for repeated attacks on American troops, US and Iraqi sources said.

Hours earlier, a warplane struck the vehicle of Iran-backed fighters after they had fired a short-range ballistic missile at US and allied personnel, according to the Pentagon.

US forces deployed in Iraq and Syria were attacked at least 74 times, according to Pentagon officials, a surge linked to the war between Israel and Hamas.