Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq have resumed co-ordinating attacks against US and Israeli targets in the Middle East after they ended a truce with US troops, further driving the region towards a major escalation, sources told The National on Wednesday.
The attacks are meant to be part of regional retaliatory operations by those armed factions in response to the killing of Fouad Shukr, the top military commander of the Lebanese group Hezbollah in Beirut, and the assassination of Hamas's political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in late July, the sources explained. Iran blames Israel for the assassination and has vowed to respond.
“The collapse of the truce now means, in practice, that the retaliation by the axis of resistance will be co-ordinated with all its parties, including the Iraqi factions, regardless of the form of this response,” explained a militia leader.
“We have resumed co-ordinating our actions. We won't confirm or deny that an imminent attack would take place by the factions, which is a matter left to the field commanders,” added the source.
On Tuesday, a high-ranking member of one of the groups said that the armed factions had ended the truce that was meant to give the Iraqi government time to negotiate the withdrawal of US troops from the country. They started considering the fate of the truce following the killing of at least four fighters in a US strike on a Popular Mobilisation Forces' base in Babil province, south of Baghdad, last month.
“The resistance factions in Iraq ended this truce and therefore all options are available to the resistance forces to target all US bases inside Iraq,” Haider Al Lami, a member of the political council of Al Nujaba Movement in Iraq, affirmed on Tuesday, adding there was “procrastination and stalling” from the American side during talks with the Iraqi government on the withdrawal of troops.
Much like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, the Iraqi armed factions are part of the Axis of Resistance, an anti-Israel political and military coalition in the Middle East led by Tehran. Since the war in Gaza started in October, the axis has operated through a daily co-ordination process and under joint command, mainly focused on picking up targets and the timing of attacks against Israel in support of Hamas in the Palestinian territory.
Increase in attacks
However, the Iraqi militias agreed to an unofficial truce early this year, which has generally held despite sporadic attacks on US troops. The lull was aimed at preventing escalation after the killing of three US soldiers at the Iraq-Jordan border and to allow scope for negotiations around the departure of US troops from Iraq.
Calls for an end to the truce were raised after the members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces's 47th Brigade were killed in the US strike on the base in Babil province, south of Baghdad, on July 30. The PMF, an umbrella term for groups of armed fighters that are officially part of the Iraqi security forces, confirmed members of its 47th Brigade had been killed in an attack carried out “by missiles fired from drones”.
The US said it carried out what it described as a “self-defence air strike” on fighters who were trying to launch drones that were deemed a threat to US and allied troops. About 2,500 US troops are stationed in Iraq as part of the international coalition against ISIS.
There has been a significant push by Baghdad and the Iran-backed factions for the coalition to leave Iraq. The Iraqi and US governments held talks in Washington, where they put the final touches on a withdrawal deal and a post-departure security relationship.
“The position of the Iraqi factions has now become clearer that the truce has effectively ended, as the US continues the process of procrastination,” a second militias commander told The National on Wednesday.
The source claimed that “over the past few days, US forces have been carrying out movements and transfers of forces and military equipment in Iraq and Syria, in preparation for engagement in any battle that might break out, in the event that Iran and the axis of resistance carry out any attack targeting Israel to avenge Haniyeh and Shukr”.
A senior Iraqi army official said he was wary of announcements or threats by the armed groups to end the truce, and that this would not necessarily lead to a significant increase in attacks. Announcing the end of the truce “is a way of pressuring the US in front of the world”, stressed the official.
Political analyst Ihsan Al Shammari sees that “resuming attacks will create significant embarrassment for the official and political Iraq which leans towards de-escalation and avoiding dragging the country into war”.
“There will be grave consequences and confusion in the security file, especially if these attacks are resumed on a large scale and on a daily basis,” Mr Al Shammari, a Professor of Public Policy who leads the Iraqi Political Thinking Centre think tank in Baghdad, told The National.
“If there will be a wide-scale confrontations, these factions will not hesitate to launch large-scale attacks not only against US bases but also could reach even the [US] embassy,” Prof Al Shammari added.
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RESULTS
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GP3 qualifying, 10:15am
Formula 2, practice 11:30am
Formula 1, first practice, 1pm
GP3 qualifying session, 3.10pm
Formula 1 second practice, 5pm
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Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
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Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
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Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.
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Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
New Zealand
Penalties: Barrett (7)
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Tries: Faletau, Murray
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
