Irans’s Quds Force commander killed in US airstrikes
Iraqi militia claimed that the US conducted airstrikes in Baghdad. The Iraqi militia said 7 people were killed in this air strike, including the head of the elite Quds force, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Iran-backed militia spokesman Ahmed al-Assadi said, “American and Israeli enemies are responsible for killing Mujahideen Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qasem Soleimani.”
Fear of increased retaliation
Meanwhile, Ali Khamenei of Iran has declared a three-day mourning after the death of Soleimani. The US air strike is believed to have marked a new turning point in the Middle East, and Iran and military forces are expected to take serious retaliation in the Middle East against Israeli and American interests.
The PMF has targeted the US for the airstrike at Baghdad International Airport. However, there is no immediate statement from the US and Iran. A senior Iraqi politician and a high-level security official confirmed to the Associated Press that eight people were killed, including the head of the elite Quds Force, Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Two militia leaders loyal to Iran also confirmed the death, including an officer with Kata’ib Hezbollah who was involved in an attack on the US embassy this week.
Rumors of death have spread many times
The senior politician said that Soleimani’s body has been identified by his ring. Rumors have spread many times about Soleimani dying. This included the death of other military officers in northwestern Iran in the 2006 airplane crash and the 2012 killing of top Syrian President Bashar Assad’s top aides after the bombing in Damascus.
US Embassy closed
A few days ago, a mob of people attacked the US Embassy in Iraq. For this, the US targeted Iraq. On January 1, the US embassy in Iraq’s capital Baghdad announced the suspension of all its public consular operations until further orders. The decision was taken after an attack by pro-Iran protesters at the embassy.
“All public consular operations are suspended until further orders due to the terrorist attack on the US campus,” said a statement issued by the embassy on Wednesday. “All future appointments have been canceled. US citizens are advised not to contact the embassy,” the news agency Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.
