US Attacks Baghdad Airport, Killing Top Iranian General

Reported drone strike also killed top Iraqi militia figure

Jason Ditz 

Posted onJanuary 2, 2020CategoriesNewsTagsIran, Iraq, Pentagon

On the outskirts of the Baghdad International Airport, a US drone attacked a delegation including the top figure at Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), killing him as well as several others, including Iran’s Quds Forces commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani

Details are continuing to emerge on the attack and killings, but indications are that Gen. Soleimani is dead, as is Iraq’s PMU media chief Mohammed Reda al-Jabri, along with his guards. Iraqi state media also reported Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the head of the PMU, to have been killed in the attack.

The PMU has already issued a statement on social media reporting on the deaths, and blaming them on a “cowardly US attack.” Another PMU spokesman blamed the US and Israel jointly.

If confirmed, this is certainly an act of war not just Iran, but also against Iraq, which is almost certain to be livid over a US attack against its largest civilian airport and assassination of two top figures of its PMU paramilitary force.
There have been no official comments from the US as of yet, but the attack comes just hours after Defense Secretary Mark Esper threatened to attack Iran, and amid repeated warnings for Americans to get out of Iraq, especially the Baghdad area.

https://news.antiwar.com/2020/01/02/us-attacks-baghdad-airport-killing-top-iranian-general/