WASHINGTON, USA (North Press) – ISIS’ declaration claiming responsibility for an explosion in Baghdad sparked Washington’s fears of the possibility of the escalation of ISIS’ activities and its return to cause unrest in major Iraqi cities.
Earlir Tuesday, ISIS claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in al-Sadr city, east of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, leaving dozens of casualties.
“The transition of ISIS to this level of escalation raises US concerns after months of sporadic operations carried out by ISIS in rural areas, and its arrival in central Baghdad may introduce new methods of the American dealing with ISIS,” said Ryan Mauro, an American security analyst at the Clarion Group.
“The shape of the American presence in Iraq was one of the most important topics on the agenda of discussions between US President Biden and the Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi during their upcoming meeting next month. Despite the American desire to withdraw all forces from Iraq, recent ISIS operations may impose new conditions and shape of the American presence in Iraq,” he added.
Mauro believes that the spectre of the return of al-Qaeda to Iraq after the 2011 withdrawal is still haunting the US and reminding it of the worst scenarios that brought terrorism in its most dangerous form, ISIS – a matter that the Democratic Party, which was responsible for the withdrawal of the US forces during the Obama administration, fears will repeat followed by a rapid return of terrorism.
Late Monday-Tuesday night, OIR Spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto condemned the Baghdad bombing, which killed about 35 people and wounded more than 60 others, offering his condolences to the families of the victims in a tweet on his account.
UNICEF called on all actors in Iraq to work for a safer Iraq so that “children do not have to live in fear.”
“This horrific attack right before Eid Al-Adha is a terrible reminder of the violence Iraqi children continue to face”, said UNICEF Representative in the country Sheema Sen Gupta.
Mauro pointed to the impact of the behavior of the militias who escaped the authority of the state, and who are trying to undermine the sovereignty of Iraq, destabilize it and target US forces, to ISIS’s ability to regroup its ranks and get out from underground to carry out apparent operations in populated and pivotal areas, which may increase the seriousness of the Joe Biden administration in terms of dealing with the militias that are trying to obstruct the US’ moves to combat ISIS.
He said that current administration officials such as Brett McGurk and his team had the idea of creating a Global Coalition to fight ISIS in partnership with the Iraqi government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, “and it is expected that they will continue to adhere to this coalition and maintain its cohesion and presence in the region to ensure confronting any threats to the region by terrorist organizations.”