New US air raid on Hashd commander in Iraq kills 6: Report

International Desk Published: 4 January 2020, 09:36 AM
New US air raid on Hashd commander in Iraq kills 6: Report
Reports said an Iraqi paramilitary commander was targeted in the strike but a spokesman of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, said those who were killed were medics [File: Abdullah Dhiaa Al-Deen/Reuters]

A fresh US air raid targeting a commander of Iraq's Hashd al-Shaabi paramilitary forces killed at least six people early on Saturday, according to news reports, a day after an American drone attack killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

Iraq's state television said the attack took place along Taji Road north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, but did not name the targeted figure, reports Aljazeera. 

Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), denied that a senior commander was in the convoy. 

Al Jazeera has learned that at least six people, including medics, were killed in the latest raid. Reuters news agency reported that three other people were critically wounded.

Taji Road, where the attack took place, leads to a base of non-US coalition forces, including British and Italian troops, according to Al Jazeera's Osama Bin Javaid, reporting from Baghdad.

Our correspondent added that a group of vehicles was hit.

A police source told the AFP news agency that the bombardment there hit a Hashd convoy and left many "dead and wounded" without providing a specific toll.

The PMF is an umbrella group of Iraqi militias under Iraq's military.