PMF: ISIS Reactivated in Iraq with US Assistance

“The Americans and the ISIL terrorists are repeating the same scenario they played during the collapse of Mosul in 2014, in Babel, Salahuddin, and Diyala provinces and they are attempting to distort security and stir instability in those regions,” said Qasim al-Maamouri, the commander of Hashd al-Shaabi’s Division 26, was quoted by the Alghadeer news website as saying on Monday.

“We have intelligence showing that the terrorist group has resumed its activities in several Iraqi provinces, including Babel, with the US help,” he added.

Al-Ma’amouri said that the ISIL members have again infiltrated Jorf al-Nasr and Northern Babel.

A senior official of the powerful Badr Organization in Iraq had also warned on Sunday that Washington and Riyadh have hatched new plots to reactivate the ISIS in the country.

Mohammad Mahdi al-Bayati said that the US and Saudi Arabia are returning the fugitive ISIS members from Syria to Iraq.

“The US and Saudi’s current support for ISIS is similar to their support for the terrorists in 2014 and there are many concerns about the return of ISIS and their terrorist attacks in Salahuddin, Kirkuk, and al-Anbar,” he added.

At least 10 Iraqi fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shabi, were killed in an attack by the ISIS Takfiri terrorist group in Salahuddin Province.

The coordinated assault which took place in the cities of Mekeeshfa and Balad led to clashes between PMF forces and the ISIS terrorists on several fronts, the paramilitary group announced on Saturday.

The PMF further said its fighters have now taken control of the situation, adding the Iraqi government has also sent reinforcements to supplement efforts and prepare for a possible retaliatory attack.

Iraq’s Prime Minister-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi has paid tribute to families of those who were killed, according to a statement circulated by Iraqi media.

“With great sadness, we received news of the martyrdom of a group of heroes from among the Hashd al-Shabi who died defending their homeland in the face of ISIL attacks in the Mekeeshfah and Balad areas north of Baghdad,” the statement read.