Iraq president condemns US airstrike, says it benefits terrorists

Shafaq News/ Iraq's presidency has condemned a US airstrike that targeted positions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Babil on Tuesday evening, labeling it a "blatant violation" that benefits terrorist organizations.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Iraqi presidency lamented the "unjustified aggression" against Iraqi security forces, particularly as negotiations continue to set timelines for the withdrawal of the US-led coalition.

"We denounce in the strongest terms this blatant aggression, which is a flagrant violation of Iraq's sovereignty," the statement read. "While we hope that this serious security transgression by the US-led coalition forces will be the last on Iraqi soil, we affirm that such violations will only serve the interests of terrorist organizations that seek to harm the security of Iraq and the entire region."

The PMF, a predominantly Shiite paramilitary force, confirmed that the strike, carried out by missiles fired from aircraft, killed four of its members. A US official justified the airstrike as a defensive measure, stating that the target was launching drones that posed a threat to US and coalition forces. The strike marked the first of its kind since February when the US killed an Iranian-backed commander.