By Anas al-Bar | 2024-09-09

Iran-aligned militias are undermining Iraqi sovereignty and national interests by threatening and attacking US forces stationed inside Iraq to ensure the enduring defeat of the "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS), analysts said.

This campaign of intimidation is intended to harm Iraq's partnership with the United States, which leads the international coalition that defeated ISIS.

Iraq has been working with the United States to determine a common vision for managing the anti-ISIS campaign, based on a timetable for winding down the coalition's mission to make way for Iraqi forces to operate alone.

Yet the forces continue to work together, with US and Iraqi forces killing 15 ISIS fighters during a joint operation in Iraq's western desert on August 29, in which seven members of the US military were injured, AFP reported.

"Iraq has come a long way in building its own capabilities and relying on itself," political analyst Tariq al-Shammari told Al-Fassel.

But it still can benefit greatly from US military and technical expertise and training support.

"The US advisory support provided to the Iraqi forces today helps them in tracking terrorists and targeting their secret strongholds," he said. "US training also contributes to boosting the efficiency and skill of Iraqi soldiers."

Long-term relationship

US-Iraqi consultations have focused "on the establishment of a long-term, complementary relationship" that serves the interests and future of the Iraqi people, al-Shammari said.

In addition to military cooperation and the war on ISIS, this relationship includes helping Iraq develop its natural resources, economy and infrastructure, and supporting its efforts to tackle corruption and confront other challenges.

But the Iranian regime and its proxy militias in Iraq "do not want the country to stabilize, stand on its feet and prosper, because that threatens their influence and interests, as they thrive on chaos and unrest," al-Shammari said.

"They have therefore sought to escalate their attacks on military facilities hosting US forces in an attempt to harm the understandings and partnership with the United States," he said.

These threats and attacks have continued, he added, with one such threat issued by Iran-aligned Iraqi militia Harakat al-Nujaba, which is active locally and regionally.

"The militias defy the orders and positions of the government and violate the sovereignty, policies and exclusive powers of the state," al-Shammari said.

"These groups have Iranian projects and agendas that they are working on to weaken and pillage the country and drag the region as a whole into destructive wars and conflicts," he said.