At least 21 militants have been killed and several others wounded in two separate attacks targeting Iranian- and US-backed armed groups in Iraq, further escalating tensions in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iraq\u2019s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) confirmed that 15 of its fighters were killed in a US airstrike in the country\u2019s western region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the PMF, its commander Saad al-Baiji was among those killed, whose funeral is being held in Baghdad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PMF is a coalition of various armed groups, most of which are Iran-backed factions, and has now been formally incorporated into the Iraqi security forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Reuters, the attack took place while an important meeting was underway at the PMF headquarters and several senior commanders were present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, a Kurdish force base in the northern Iraqi city of Erbil was targeted by a missile attack, killing at least 6 Kurdish fighters and wounding 22.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to security and Kurdish sources, it is currently unclear which side carried out the attack, and no group has claimed responsibility for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both attacks came at a time when tensions between pro-Iranian groups, US interests and Kurdish forces in Iraq are continuing to rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to analysts, these attacks could further strain the balance of power and the security situation in the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At least 21 militants have been killed and several others wounded in two separate attacks targeting Iranian- and US-backed armed groups in Iraq, further escalating tensions in the region.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":715,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[62,210,189,170,218,61],"class_list":["post-981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world","tag-iran","tag-iranwar","tag-iraq","tag-kurd","tag-pmf","tag-us"],"yoast_head":"\n