Coordination Framework denies ending "informal truce" with US forces

Shafaq News/ The Coordination Framework (CF), an Iran-backed alliance of mainly Shiite political parties, distanced itself on Monday from a reported resumption of attacks against the US interests in Iraq and the Middle East.

This follows yesterday's attack when five rockets were launched from Iraq's Zummar region toward a US military base in northeastern Syria.

Iraq's Security Media Cell (SMC) said the Iraqi security forces, operating in the Western Nineveh Operations Sector near the Iraqi-Syrian border, "have initiated a comprehensive search and inspection operation targeting outlaw elements. These elements launched a missile attack against a Global Coalition base at 21:50 on Sunday, deep within Syrian territory."

"During the operation, our security forces discovered and destroyed the vehicle used to launch the missiles," SMC said.

The attack marks a potential escalation after a lull in hostilities since early February when Iranian-backed armed factions in Iraq halted strikes on Western forces.

The timing also coincides with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's visit to Washington for talks with US President Joe Biden. Some armed groups had reportedly linked their future actions to the outcome of this visit.

Hassan Fadhem, a leader within the Coordination Framework, told Shafaq News Agency, "There wasn't a formal truce between Iraqi factions and the coalition. However, the Iraqi factions have their own strategy and interests."

Fadhem explained that the factions' security and military interests "prioritize pausing attacks on US sites in Iraq to give the government a chance to negotiate the withdrawal of foreign troops according to their strategy. This is what transpired."

He noted that any potential resumption of attacks by Iraqi factions against US targets would be "part of a broader strategy adopted by the factions, and a response to actions by US forces, developments in Gaza, or events concerning the Resistance Axis as a whole."

Earlier on Monday, the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades disowned a statement announcing the "resumption of attacks against US forces." This came after social media users shared a statement, purportedly from the group, announcing the move.

In February, attacks on US forces in both Iraq and Syria ceased following a drone strike in Jordan that killed three American soldiers. The US retaliated with airstrikes on targets in Iraq and Syria.