ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Iraq is exploring Chinese, Russian and American options for the reinforcement of its air defenses, an Iraqi politician and senior militia leader has said, amid a series of mysterious drone attacks on Iran-backed targets in the country - despite fears from some lawmakers that the purchase of a Russian system could antagonize the US. A number of routes to develop Iraq’s air defense system are currently under assessment, said MP, Fatih coalition spokesperson and senior Popular Mobilization Forces leader Ahmed al-Asadi in an interview with al-Mayadeen TV on Friday. “The Iraqi government and PMF leaders have already started to study the options Iraq has in order to develop its air defense system,” al-Asadi said. ”Currently, Russia, China and the US are the options.” Weapons depot and bases of the PMF, known in Arabic as Hashd al-Shaabi, have come under drone attacks since July. Explosions at their weapons depots were initially blamed on negligent weapons storage in scorching Iraqi summer temperatures. However, blame has increasingly turned to Israel, which is apprehensive about Iran-backed group presence in the Middle East and is conducting strikes on Iranian targets in Syria. Iraq’s pursuit of an improved air defense system predates the spate of attacks on the PMF, with Iraqi ambassador to Moscow Haider Mansour Hadi expressing S-400 interest in May of this year. However, the targeting of PMF sites using drones has prompted the Iraqi government to vow to protect the group from attack by bolstering the country’s air defenses. Mansour al-Bieji, a member of the State of Law Coalition in the Iraqi parliament, said on Wednesday that Iraq may buy the Russian S-400 air defense missile system. However, some Iraqi lawmakers have warned the government against its purchase, pointing to American threats of sanctions on Turkey for its purchase of the defense system as a cautionary tale. With parliament’s summer recess today drawing to a close, political debate regarding the extent of American presence in has switched gears, particularly among majority-Shiite blocs. While some lawmakers have demanded the withdrawal of all US troops from the country, others argue they continue to be needed as trainers and advisers. “For the sake of the Iraqi government, trainers and advisers of the US troops can remain, but we say the rest need to withdraw,” al-Asadi said. The Fatih coalition, Sayirun alliance and State of Law bloc aim to send a letter to parliament leadership on Saturday to push discussion of US troop presence in Iraq, he added. Demand for a halt to the agreement is due mainly to what Asadi says is a “weak US stance” regarding recent attacks on PMF sites, al-Asadi previously told Rudaw. US troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011, but were invited back to the country in 2014 to advise and train Iraqi forces in the fight against Islamic State (ISIS). There are currently 5,000 American troops stationed at Iraqi bases. US-led coalition air forces have been participating in Operation Will of Victory, launched by Iraqi forces to quell a resurgence of ISIS in the north and west of the country on July 7.
