Iraq
Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) paramilitary forces, carry their flag as well as that of Iraq, ahead of the funeral of people killed the previous day in US strikes in western Iraq, in Baghdad on January 4, 2024. Photo: Ahmed al-Rubaye/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi lawmakers have called for a parliament session to discuss the possibility of ousting US forces from the country and stopping the sale of subsidized crude oil to Jordan.
The majority of the lawmakers belong to Iran-backed political parties, according to Rudaw’s reporter in Baghdad, Halkawt Aziz. They accuse Jordan of providing material support for the US attacks that killed at least 17 people in Iraq on Friday.
A drone strike last week killed at least three US service members in an American military base in northeast Jordan, near the Syrian border. Washington blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq for the attack. In retaliation, the US launched airstrikes targeting bases of Iran-backed militia in Iraq and Syria.
Mustafa Sanad, an independent Shiite lawmaker, told Rudaw on Sunday that he believed Jordan was providing support to the US to carry out the attacks.
"When the Americans come to bomb us, who provides the fuel to their planes?" Sanad questioned.
"They receive it from neighboring countries, like Jordan and others. Jordan benefits from a third of the Iraqi Central Bank's foreign currency transactions. We have to pressure them to stop this... We should stop selling crude oil to Jordan."
A report from the Jordan Times, citing sources from the Jordanian Armed Forces, on Saturday said that the Royal Jordanian Air Force did not participate in the US airstrikes in Iraq, amid rumours at the time of its involvement.
Speaking at the funeral of those killed in the US strikes, Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the pro-Iran Badr Organization, told Rudaw that US forces no longer have a place in the country.
"The attack on the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and their bases proves they [the US] want to bring terror back to Iraq," Amiri said at the funeral.
Asked about possible actions against US forces, he said the decision lied with the Iraqi parliament.
"The parliament must take a courageous decision to protect the sons of Iraq. It should pass a law to expel US forces immediately. Keeping them here would be a betrayal of the Iraqi people."
The US and Iraq are engaged in talks regarding the presence of American troops. The US says the talks aim to redefine its mission, while Iraqi officials say the ultimate goal is to end it. The talks began after Iraq expressed anger over repeated US strikes on its territory.
The US currently has about 2,500 troops stationed in Iraq, tasked with helping the Iraqi government fight the Islamic State (ISIS).
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