Sunni concern over escalating attacks against the Global Coalition in Al-Anbar

Shafaq News /Al-Anbar has been witnessing a clear escalation of attacks against the Global Coalition recently. For the second time within the same month, the Ayn Al-Assad airbase in western Al-Anbar was targeted, last week amid political concern.

According to a security source, the last attack on the airbase was launched on the 8th of this month, by a booby-trapped vehicle that exploded near an Iraqi army headquarters at the base.

"Outlaws entered Al-Anbar to strike the Ministry of Defense's military bases," said Qatari Al-Obaidi, a commander of Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi in al-Anbar, pointing out that more than 90% of those inside the airbase are members of the Iraqi army.

"This is the second attack in four days. The Global Coalition makes up 5% of those inside Ayn Al-Assad Airbase, one of the largest military bases in the Middle East," Al-Obaidi added.

Al-Anbar's officials consider these security breaches as a threat to the governorate's reconstruction, security, and stability.

Na'eem Al-Ga'oud, a member of the parliamentary security and defense committee, said, "Targeting any foreign forces inside the country approved by the Iraqi government, is targeting Iraq's sovereignty and security forces, which is absolutely unacceptable."

"The commanders of operations within the areas where foreign forces are targeted must maintain their safety, as they are friendly forces and move with the approval of joint operations commands and other military movements," Al-Ga'oud told Shafaq News agency.

He also pointed out, "I think the joint operations command should take action to protect these forces that move to and from areas in coordination with the Iraqi government. But, unfortunately, Iran and many countries consider Iraq as a battlefield to settle scores."

"Iran and the other neighboring countries must respect Iraq's sovereignty. Iraq has the right to take action against hostile forces as it has enough forces to fight its battles.”

He continued, "The Iraqi security forces should report to the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, whether they need Global coalition forces for training and surveillance or not, according to which necessary arrangements would be made."

"As long as foreign forces or diplomatic representatives are present by official government decision, attacking them represents terrorism and lawlessness," said Zafer Al-Ani, deputy chairman of the Iraqi parliament's foreign relations committee.

"The government should protect every legitimate presence on Iraqi soil. Regrettably, these attacks are linked to the course of the US-Iranian negotiations negatively or positively, which shows that this decision is not an Iraqi decision as much as it is Iranian," Al-Ani added.

On the conduct of investigations to uncover the perpetrators of the attacks, which security committees have been set up to investigate, Al-Anbar's police chief, Hadi Rizij Kassar, said, " Joint committees had been set up to investigate the attacks on the Ayn Al-Assad Airbase and the Global Coalition forces in Al-Anbar, and the results will certainly be submitted to the central government."