A Military Base in Iraq Rocked by a Massive Blast
A significant explosion shook a military base utilized by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) south of Baghdad on Friday, with Iraqi sources pointing fingers at Israel and the US for the attack.
Reports indicate that substantial strikes were executed overnight between Friday and Saturday on targets of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, specifically south of Baghdad. Iraqi media sources suggested that the attack was carried out by a fleet of drones targeting a military base affiliated with the militias.
During the attack, two separate waves of strikes were launched, as confirmed by two PMF sources. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported, but the strikes did result in material damage.
The strikes were aimed at a PMF headquarters located at the Kalso military base near Iskandariya, approximately 50 km south of Baghdad, according to PMF sources.
Al-Hadath reported that the attack was executed by three F-35 jets, with an American official asserting that the operation took place outside Iran's borders. However, CNN mentioned that no significant damage was observed at the site, which was near Osfia in Iran.
Multiple American and Israeli aircraft were reportedly spotted in the vicinity of Iraq, with Iraqi sources claiming that among the bombings south of Baghdad, an arsenal of weapons belonging to Iranian militias was targeted.
US Involvement in Syria and Iraq
In January 2024, a US airstrike thwarted an attack on the Ain al-Asad air base, which houses US and other international forces in western Iraq. US military sources revealed that a rocket launcher was affixed to a small truck parked east of the base, loaded with rockets ready to be launched.
With 900 troops stationed in Syria and an additional 2,500 in Iraq, the US mission focuses on advising and supporting local forces in their efforts to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State.
The Iraqi militia PMF, backed by Iran, boasts a force of over 100,000 fighters. Following the defeat of ISIS in Iraq, the militia transformed into an officially recognized government-paid entity affiliated with the Iraqi Interior Ministry. This newly sanctioned force began amassing missiles and drones, operating more extensively in Syria, posing a threat to US and Israeli forces.
In 2020, an American strike eliminated Suleimani during a visit to Baghdad. The Guards Intelligence Department suspected that an informant from the PMF divulged details about Suleimani's trip, leading to his successor, Ismail Ghani, establishing a fiercely loyal force to the regime.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Devastating Explosion Strikes Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces’ Military Base
IMF Unable to Produce Joint Statement Due to Differences on Middle East and Ukraine Situation
- No Comments
On the 19th, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was unable to produce a joint statement from the International Monetary and Financial Commission (IMFC) due to differences of opinion regarding the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the IMF issued a statement chairman. instead the economic risks posed by the conflict were announced. Photograph taken in September 2018 (2024 Reuters/Yuri Gripas/File Photo)
[19日 ロイター] – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was unable to draw up a joint statement from the International Monetary and Financial Commission (IMFC) on the 19th due to differences of opinion regarding the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine, and the IMF chairman expressed recognition of the economic risks caused by the conflict A statement was issued instead.
The chairman’s statement said, “We discussed the global macroeconomic and financial effects of wars and conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the disruption of shipping in the Red Sea.” Although he said this was not true. the place to resolve security issues, he recognized that the global economy would be severely affected in this situation.”
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Finance, Jadouane, who chairs the IMFC, said in a press conference that although the geopolitical fragmentation of the global economy has an overall negative impact, the diversification of supply chains that occurs as part of these trends recognize that the country benefits from this.
Speaking to reporters after the chairman’s statement, the Finnish Finance Minister, Riikka Pulla, noted that the Nordic countries were unanimous against adopting the joint statement, as it did not specifically mention Russia. “It was impossible to approve a joint statement that did not specifically and directly mention Russia, which is at war in Ukraine and has all kinds of economic influence around the world.”
Our Code of Conduct: New Tab Thomson Reuters “Principles of Trust”, opens a new tab
#IMF #committee #fails #issue #joint #statement #disagreeing #Middle #East #Ukraine #Reuters
Related
- Topics: A BR, a second, Asia, ASXPAC, AU, BITTERS, BRU, CISC, CWP, DBT, ECI, Eco, ECON, EMEA, EMRG, entrance, EU, Europe, FIN, FINS08, G20, GEN, GOVACT, GVD, GVGVF, Help, IMF, IN ASIA, INFL, INT, Intent, JFOR, JLN, LATAM, LEN, MCE, NAZIA, PBFACT, POL, PXP, RU, SAMEI, TOPCMB, TOPNWS, TRN, UN1, US, WASH, WBNK, WHAT I, YH
Comments
Trending
IMF Unable to Produce Joint Statement Due to Differences on Middle East and Ukraine Situation
Climate, peace and work: the eco-protest is back
«The slogan of the day, which we also wrote on the opening banner, is “climate, peace, work”. Because we know the climate: 2023 was the hottest year ever, we grind negative records after negative records. Peace is evidently referring to Palestine. Work is central to us. Here in Turin we created a beautiful convergence with the workers of Mirafiori: we were at their procession and they came to ours.” The speaker is Luca Sardo, student of Environmental Economics at the University of Turin and activist of Fridays For Future since its inception.
Of all the global climate strikes (the student demonstrations born in 2019 from Greta Thunberg’s solitary protest) yesterday’s was one of the most peculiar. First of all due to the enormous presence of the Gaza cause: in the big cities the Palestinian communities joined the marches, and among the green flags of ecology the pan-Arab red, white and black appeared. Then for the participation of the trade unions, in particular some sectors of the CGIL which in cities such as Florence, Bologna and Turin are building solid relationships with the climate movement. Finally, for the resilience of a ritual, that of the global strike, which shows no sign of returning to the glories of its beginnings but nor of disappearing.
The date of April 19th was initially supposed to focus on the response to green backclash, the green backlash. This is one of the names that the European press has given to the setback that the ecological transition is suffering on the continent, caught between the costs related to rearmament and a radical right that promises to dismantle the Green Deal as soon as it has the chance. The solution for Fridays For Future Italia and the other realities that animated the squares of yesterday lies in the alliance with the world of work, starting from disputes in logistics and the automotive sector. The leading example is that of the ex-Gkn workers of Campi Bisenzio, also in the square yesterday, who have been occupying their factory for two years demanding ecological conversion, nationalization and resumption of production.
The massacre in Gaza, however, inevitably imposed itself. «We dedicated yesterday’s date entirely to Palestine, coinciding with the end of the G7 work in Capri» explains Michela Spina of Fridays For Future Napoli. «It was a beautiful moment, the Palestinian communities joined the procession» is the testimony of Michele Ghidini, an activist from Brescia. «We cannot talk about climate justice without talking about Palestine»: peace and the end of the occupation as priorities but included in the development that the ecological movement has created over the years.
«Here in Sardinia a dangerous methanisation plan persists and the closure of coal will be postponed. We ask that they be stopped” explains Luca Pirisi. In its Cagliari, Ultima Generazione also took part in the procession, this time not blocking the streets but with a show in the central Piazza Yenne. «We are very satisfied! We were able to adequately launch the proposal for public intervention for the ecological reindustrialization of the former Gkn. This is the framework: public intervention to make the transition possible and just” says Giorgio de Girolamo, an activist from Pisa. In some smaller cities it was decided to demonstrate on Sunday, to also allow those who work to participate. «Here in Pavia we will go on strike over the weekend. Yesterday we went to schools to debate. There is a desire to talk about climate” concludes Pietro Losio.
Related