Abu Taqwa al-Saeedi, Commander of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, was killed today during an American airstrike on a Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) base in eastern Baghdad, Iraq.
Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, an Iran-backed Shia militia that is part of the PMF, has previously been involved in attacks against United States military forces in Iraq as part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and was the target of retaliatory American airstrikes last month.
U.S. military carries out strike in Baghdad against Iraqi militia leader believed responsible for attacks on U.S. troops – U.S. officila tells @Reuters #Iraq #USA #PENTAGON #Militia #Gaza pic.twitter.com/eyCx6GCt4E
— Ahmed Rasheed (@Ahmed_Rasheed_R) January 4, 2024
The PMF is an umbrella organization of Iraqi militia and paramilitary forces that are considered part of the Iraqi military. Many Iran-backed militia forces that have been carrying out rocket and drone attacks against American forces in the region are part of or aligned to the PMF.
While the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has not issued a formal statement on the strike, Reuters reported that the strike was American, citing a US official.