Intense deployment of security in Baghdad on the anniversary of Soleimani’s death



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On Friday, Iraqi authorities released dozens of security personnel in Baghdad, along with information about the intention of militias loyal to Tehran to launch attacks against American interests in Iraq as the first anniversary of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani approaches. .

The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasool, said in a tweet that “Baghdad operations units continue, in accordance with previous plans, to deploy and perform functions under the supervision of commanders and commanders and the general security and intelligence services to protect citizens and vital targets and all those who celebrate Christmas. “

Rasul added that this spread “was positively and significantly reflected on all citizens and the safety of the capital.”

The sources told Al-Hurra that the Green Zone and the vicinity of the US Embassy in Baghdad were among the areas that witnessed a heavy security presence from Iraqi forces.

These moves came alongside the issuance of US warnings to militias loyal to Tehran to launch an attack on US personnel and interests in Iraq.

The “Washington Post” newspaper quoted a senior defense official as saying that the information secretly obtained by the United States claimed that “the leaders of the Iranian-affiliated militias have met with the leaders of the Iranian Quds Force and that a good deal of sophisticated conventional weapons flowed across the border from Iran to Iraq. ” “.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, added that the threats posed by the militias are “very real.” The official described the situation as “the most worrying” since Soleimani’s murder and said there were fears of a complex attack.

Informed political sources revealed to Al-Hurra earlier that Quds Force commander Ismail Qaani met with leaders of four militias in Baghdad last week and asked them to prepare for attacks against American interests in Iraq in the event of that Iran was attacked by the United States.

The four leaders who sat down with Qaani, according to sources, are Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais Khazali, Imam Ali Brigade general secretary Shebel al-Zaidi, Hezbollah Brigade leader Ahmed al -Hamidawi, and the leader of the Nujaba terrorist militia, Akram al-Kaabi is included in the US list.

A political source within the Popular Mobilization Authority, which includes factions loyal to Tehran, confirmed to Al-Hurra that the aforementioned militias five days ago emptied their headquarters in Baghdad and the rest of Iraq, in anticipation of possible US attacks.

Qaani’s visit to Iraq coincided with the most violent attack in 10 years against the US embassy in Baghdad with some 21 Katyusha rockets, but did not cause casualties.

The US embassy and other foreign military and diplomatic sites have been targeted by dozens of rockets and explosive devices since fall 2019.

Western and Iraqi officials blamed militant groups, including the pro-Iranian “Hezbollah Brigades.”

Washington recently cut its diplomatic staff in the Iraqi capital, and speculation has resurfaced in recent days about the possibility of closing the embassy permanently.

On Wednesday, the US Central Command announced that “B-52” bombers, known as “Stratofortress”, were flying over the Middle East to deter any aggression.

Last week, a US nuclear submarine also sailed into the Strait of Hormuz in a new show of force against Iran as the anniversary of the assassination of Qassem Soleimani by a US drone in Iraq approached.

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