Iraq Pondering Definite End to Presence of Coalition Forces: PM

The Baghdad government is forming a committee to prepare the end of the US-led international coalition's mission in Iraq, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office said on Friday.

Sudani's statement came a day after a US strike killed a leader of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), commonly known as Hashd al-Shaabi, in Baghdad, prompting calls on the government to end the presence of the coalition in Iraq.

"Government is setting the date for the start of the bilateral committee to put arrangements to end the presence of the international coalition forces in Iraq permanently," a statement from the prime minister's office said, Reuters reported.

The committee would include representatives of the military coalition, a government official said.

Local media outlets reported that the Thursday’s assault on a PMU headquarters by American forces situated in eastern Baghdad resulted in the deaths of two PMU commanders, with several others sustaining injuries.

Reports indicated that the targeted site was the logistics support headquarters of the PMU, positioned near the Iraqi Police Academy. Abu Taqawi al-Saeedi, commander of the 12th Brigade of the PMU, and another operational commander were confirmed as martyrs. They were killed due to an explicit breach of Iraq’s sovereignty by the US.

The Iraqi government had previously denounced American intrusions into PMU positions and urged an immediate cessation of sovereignty violations.

The ongoing tensions between the US military and Iraq's PMU, a key player in the fight against the Daesh (ISIL or ISIS) terrorist group, have escalated following the Al-Aqsa Storm operation by the Palestinian resistance fighters against Israeli forces in the occupied territories back in early October.

Iraq's government has consistently condemned US actions violating its sovereignty, highlighting concerns over the safety and security of its citizens amid these confrontations.