Official Warns of US, S. Arabia’s Fresh Support for ISIL

Mohammad Mahdi al-Bayati told the Arabic-language al-Ma’aloumeh news website on Sunday that the US and Saudi Arabia are returning the fugitive ISIL members from Syria to Iraq.

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

Al-Bayati said that the recent attacks in Salahuddin against Hashd al-Shaabi (popular forces) and security forces are part of the plot to reactivate the ISIL in Iraq.

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

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

The PMU 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.