Iraqi factions freeze "for now" response to Saudi Arabia
Shafaq News- Baghdad
The Iraqi armed factions under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) have suspended their threatened retaliation against Saudi Arabia and set conditions for holding off, an informed source told Shafaq News on Thursday.
The factions want Riyadh to acknowledge that its bombing was a mistake, compensate the families of those killed and cover damage to public property, and tone down Saudi media coverage directed at them, the source said. "Absent that, the factions will proceed with a response."
Security readiness and combat preparedness have been raised across Iraq on Thursday, as an August 6 deadline set by armed factions for the government to take a position on Saudi Arabia expired. The step was taken under directives from the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, and covers security and military forces nationwide, including training exercises and troop movements.
Read more: Iraq's September deadline undercuts armed factions' case for weapons
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which set the deadline, had demanded on July 29 that the government act against Saudi Arabia over the targeting of Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) sites across six provinces, killing 20 members and injuring 32 others.
“Any action now rests on how Riyadh responds to those demands,” according to the source.
Read more: Iraq under pressure as neighbors threaten to strike factions
