The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq reported several attacks on its headquarters across multiple provinces this week [1, 2].
These strikes target key security installations in northern and western Iraq, escalating tensions between the state-sponsored paramilitary groups and foreign actors.
In Nineveh province, an attack on Wednesday left eight people dead and four others injured [1]. The PMF said the strikes targeted "a number of our headquarters in various areas of the country" [1].
Separate operations occurred in Anbar province on Tuesday. Reports on the casualties vary significantly; one source listed three deaths [2], while another reported 14 deaths [4]. The higher casualty count includes the death of Saad Dawai al-Buaiji, the operations commander for Anbar province [4].
Further aerial bombardment struck the Akashat district in the far west of Iraq on Thursday. This specific strike resulted in approximately 20 deaths [3].
The PMF said the violence was a "Zionist-American aggression" [2]. The group did not provide specific details on the weaponry used in the Nineveh or Anbar strikes, though the Akashat incident was identified as aerial bombardment [3].
This wave of violence marks a significant loss of leadership for the PMF in the western regions, specifically with the death of al-Buaiji [4]. The disparity in reported death tolls across different provinces suggests a chaotic security environment, or conflicting internal reports, during the immediate aftermath of the strikes.
“"Zionist-American aggression"”
The targeting of PMF headquarters across diverse geographical zones—from Nineveh in the north to Akashat in the far west—indicates a coordinated effort to degrade the paramilitary's command structure. By eliminating high-ranking officials like the Anbar operations commander, the attackers are not only inflicting personnel losses but are challenging the PMF's ability to maintain regional security and operational control.
