6 Killed in Airstrike North of Baghdad Targeting Convoy Carrying Shia Militia Leaders – Report
Three-car convoy struck in northern outskirts of Iraqi capital in district of al-Taji


By RT.com Friday, January 03, 2020

A convoy carrying high-profile members of the Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias, was hit by an airstrike while traveling in Baghdad, according to multiple reports.

The three-car convoy was struck in the northern outskirts of the Iraqi capital in the district of al-Taji, according to an Iraqi military source cited by Reuters. Six militiamen were reported killed in the attack, with three others critically injured. It remains unclear who carried out the strike.

Reports of an airstrike targeted a vehicle carrying important Iraqi (Hashd al-Shaabi) figures near Taji northern Baghdad.#Iraq pic.twitter.com/zjOD0zmt7k

— Baxtiyar Goran (@BaxtiyarGoran) January 3, 2020

An unconfirmed photo of the aftermath of the attack emerged on social media, showing three burning vehicles, two of them overturned.

BREAKING:

US MQ-9 Reaper drone targeted a convoy carrying several high ranking officials of Iranian-intelligence backed paramilitary forces in Taji, North of Baghdad. pic.twitter.com/m1weIltX3p

— Michael Coudrey 🇺🇸 (@MichaelCoudrey) January 3, 2020

#BREAKING #NOW
Image of the targeted convoy moments ago.#Iraq #Iran #IRGC #PMU #USA pic.twitter.com/ZNcj0BUXMm

— Eva J. Koulouriotis – إيفا كولوريوتي (@evacool_) January 3, 2020

The six killed in the strike have yet to be named, but early reports suggest two paramilitary commanders – Shibl al-Zaydi, secretary general of the Kataib al-Imam militia, as well as Qais Khazali, leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq – might be among the dead.

Not confirmed yet, but it is reported Shibl al-Zaydi, secretary general of #IRGC backed Kata’ib al-Imam Ali (#PMU‘s 40th Brigade) is among whom are targeted by the #USAF in this airstrike at #Taji, North of #Baghdad tonight! pic.twitter.com/SteN0vg5iB

— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 3, 2020

Looking increasingly likely that Qais Khazali and his brother were killed in the strike. #Baghdad #Iran #Iraq

— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) January 3, 2020

The bombing comes on the heels of a US air raid near the Baghdad International Airport, which killed Iran’s powerful Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani and several top officials in the PMF. Washington argued the strike was “aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans,” while Tehran slammed the move as an act of “international terrorism” and threatened “crushing revenge.”

Though US President Donald Trump insisted the decision was taken “to stop a war,” stressing that he didn’t seek “regime change” in Tehran, that interpretation was clearly not shared by Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who warned “revenge awaits the criminals who have stained their hands in [Soleimani’s] blood.”