Lina Altawell
31 March 2026•Update: 31 March 2026
ISTANBUL
US-Israeli airstrikes targeted positions of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Babil and Anbar provinces late Tuesday, the group said.
In a statement, the PMF said three strikes hit the 45th Brigade around midnight in the Jurf al-Nasr sector of Babil province in central Iraq, while another strike targeted the 31st Brigade in the Karma sector of Anbar province in the west.
“These attacks did not result in any significant human losses,” the statement said.
The PMF is a state-sanctioned Iraqi security and military umbrella formed in 2014 following a religious edict by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to fight the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group. It was formally integrated into Iraq’s armed forces in 2016.
Attacks on PMF sites, which have killed and wounded dozens of fighters in recent days, come amid a broader conflict involving the United States and Israel against Iran since Feb. 28.
Washington accuses some PMF factions of having ties to Iran, as Iraqi groups operating under what is known as the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” have claimed attacks against US bases in the region.
The conflict with Iran has killed hundreds of people, including former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and top military officials. Tehran has responded by launching missiles and drones toward Israel and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.
*Writing by Lina Altawell
