Official logo of The Islamic Resistance in Iraq – ‘Ashab al-Kahf
On April 23, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq – ‘Ashab al-Kahf announced that its operatives had targeted security officers of the NATO in the southern Iraqi province of Muthanna.
The group said in a statement that the officers were on a covert patrol to secure a road for a supply convoy of the US-led coalition. The foreign security officers were wearing plain clothes and moving in a civilian Chrysler 300 car when ‘Ashab al-Kahf operatives targeted them with two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in a double-tap attack.
Iraqi news sources reported an explosion in Muthanna. However, Iraqi authorities and the US-led coalition have not commented on the incident, so far.
‘Ashab al-Kahf said that the attack was carried out in the framework of the al-Qa’im Operations. The pro-Iranian group kicked off the operation early on in April, demanding a complete withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
As a part of al-Qa’im Operations, Ashab al-Kahf attacked four convoys moving logistic supplies and military equipment for the US-led coalition in the provinces of Babylon, al-Qadisiyyah and al-Muthana as well as near the capital, Baghdad, between April 17 and 21 with IEDs. The group released a video showing one of the attacks.
‘Ashab al-Kahf and several other pro-Iranian factions in Iraq have been attacking US-led coalition supply convoys and bases for more than two years now in response to the assassination of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Deputy-Commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units, and Commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Qassim Soleimani.
Despite facing serious threats from pro-Iranian factions, the US appears to be determined to keep its troops in Iraq for the long term.
