6 killed from Popular Mobilization Forces in bombing targeting security headquarters in Al-Qaim city, western Iraq

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq announced this evening that a number of its fighters were killed in an aerial attack that targeted one of its security headquarters in the western Anbar province. The PMF clarified in an official statement that the bombing targeted the 'Martyr Haider checkpoint' located in the Al-Qaim district, adjacent to the Syrian border, resulting in human and material losses at the site.

According to initial reports from official sources, the attack resulted in the death of at least six elements and the injury of four others with varying degrees of wounds. The PMF directly pointed fingers at Israel, describing the operation as a 'treacherous Zionist aggression' that targeted a regular force performing its security duties within the structure of the Iraqi armed forces.

The PMF stressed in its statement that these repeated attacks will not deter it from continuing its duties in protecting Iraqi sovereignty and defending the country's security. It affirmed that the targeting of its official headquarters represents a blatant violation of international norms, indicating its fighters' insistence on steadfastness in their positions despite increasing security challenges.

This escalation comes at a time when the PMF revealed bloody statistics of the bombings it has been subjected to since the beginning of March. Reports indicated the death of 27 and the injury of nearly 50 of its members due to a series of airstrikes previously attributed to US forces, reflecting the extent of military pressure the PMF has recently faced.

Informed sources stated that the total number of airstrikes targeting PMF headquarters reached approximately 32 since the beginning of the current month. These strikes are distributed across different regions of the country, especially in border areas witnessing intense activity by armed factions operating under the banner of the 'Islamic Resistance in Iraq'.

The region has been experiencing a state of security turmoil since late February, as Iraqi factions have been carrying out daily drone and missile attacks against what they describe as 'enemy bases'. These actions come in response to military operations launched by the United States and Israel in the region, turning the Iraqi arena into a field for settling regional scores.

It is worth noting that the Popular Mobilization Forces were established in 2014 as an auxiliary force to fight the Islamic State organization, before being officially integrated into the Iraqi military establishment. The PMF includes various factions, some of which have close ties with Iran, and operates under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces according to local law.

The Martyr Haider checkpoint in Al-Qaim district, Anbar province, was subjected to a treacherous Zionist bombing that targeted an official security site belonging to the PMF.