Iraqi President Highlights Role of Gen. Soleimani in Country’s Fight against Terrorism

Salih said General Soleimani rushed to the Iraqi people’s assistance at a critical time in the face of the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

He made the remarks on Wednesday at a ceremony held in Baghdad, marking the second anniversary of the US assassination of General Soleimani and his Iraqi trenchmate Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy PMU head, two influential figures in the counter-terrorism fight in the region.

During the ceremony organized by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) or Hashd al-Sha’abi on Wednesday, entitled "Days of Martyrdom and Sovereignty", Saleh recalled the role of the two martyrs in fighting Daesh and global terrorism, Al-Mayadeen reported.

The Iraqi president further stressed the need to end the entrenched crises in the region as an urgent need for all, starting with a stable Iraq, and said, "Today we are faced with a great national responsibility to consolidate and protect victory, block the path to terrorism and protect national peace."

In 2014, when Daesh unleashed its campaign of terror in Iraq, Iranian military advisers rushed to the aid of Iraqi armed forces on Baghdad’s request, helping them reverse Daesh’s gains and ultimately liberate their entire homeland from the US-sponsored terror outfit some three years later.

General Soleimani, the former commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, played a key role in eliminating Daesh in the region.

However, angered by the senior general’s gains in the battle against Daesh, the US assassinated him upon his arrival at Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020 on an official visit to Iraq. The attack also killed the commander’s companions, including Muhandis.

The Iraqi president also underlined the need for resolving crises in the region and ending conflicts in order to prevent Daesh and other terrorist groups from wreaking havoc.

He further said that the new Iraqi government should be capable of meeting the demands of the nation.

PMU Chief Falih al-Fayyadh also addressed the event, saying General Soleimani was “the guest of Iraq and the supporter of its people.”

He also noted that Washington’s assassination operation “must have consequences for the nature of military relations with the United States."

"We renew our allegiance and declare our loyalty with the martyred commanders. We will be an impenetrable barrier against terrorism and will work with the government to achieve our right to expel foreign forces from the country," Fayyadh stressed.

Meanwhile, former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki said what the resistance commanders recorded in their counter-terrorism battle enlightens the path of all freedom-seeking countries that face terror.

"The PMU’s experience and the victories of the two martyred commanders against Daesh became a beacon for all regional countries. They should use it and ponder how the Iraqis recaptured their country and defeated the Daesh terrorist attack, which was a coordinated action involving many countries.”