By Anas al-Bar | 2024-08-19

The Iraqi government has been swift to denounce recent attacks carried out on its soil, stressing that Iraq favors dialogue and peace and does not want to get dragged into regional wars.

Ain al-Asad base, which houses US personnel operating as part of the international coalition against the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS), came under attack on July 16, July 25 and August 5.

Five US service members and two US contractors were injured in the August 5 attack, later claimed by "Thawriyoun," a previously unknown group that is part of the so-called "Islamic Resistance in Iraq."

The coalition of Iran-aligned militias, formed in October, includes Kataib Hizbullah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Sayed al-Shuhada, in addition to other, smaller groups.

It has claimed responsibility for previous attacks targeting facilities housing US forces in Iraq and Syria.

On August 5, two missiles "were launched from the town of Haditha from a vehicle-mounted missile platform," a senior Iraqi security source told Al-Fassel, on condition that his name be withheld because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"Security forces identified the source of the fire and moved quickly towards it to seize the vehicle," he said. "They were able to seize eight other missiles that were ready for launch" and arrest a number of suspects.

Iraqi authorities have ordered a comprehensive investigation of the attack.

'Reckless actions'

"We reject the reckless actions targeting Iraqi bases, diplomatic missions and locations where international coalition advisors are present," Iraq's Security Media Cell said following the August 5 attack.

"We will not accept that the country's land be an arena for settling scores (...) or be dragged into the scourge of wars and conflicts," it added.

"[We reject] anything that would raise tension in the region, or drag Iraq into dangerous situations and repercussions."

The attacks are "an extension of the series of violations for which Iranian groups are responsible," Iraqi Center for Strategic Studies head Ghazi Faisal Hussein told Al-Fassel.

This is part of the Iranian regime's strategy of igniting wars and crises in the region, implemented by proxies of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), he said.

Hussein pointed to the negative impact of the Iranian regime's proxies "on Iraq's official policy and position with regard to the regional conflict and its demands to favor dialogue and calm, and reject violence."

Iranian proxies persist in "violating public order and the national interest by targeting international missions," he said.

The US advisors targeted in the August 5 attack are in Iraq "within the framework of a partnership agreement that supports Iraq's plans to combat terrorism," he noted. "Targeting them harms the partnership."