Iran-backed militias reduce attacks on U.S. bases on request of QF
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The commander of the Iranian-backed Quds Force visited Iraq following Jordan attack late in January to pause attacks on U.S. troops by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, Reuters reported, citing Iranian and Iraqi sources.
Esmail Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), met representatives of several of the Iranian-backed groups in Baghdad airport on Jan. 29, less than 48 hours after Washington blamed the groups for the killing of three U.S. service members at the Tower 22 outpost in Jordan, the sources told Reuters.
On Jan. 28, three U.S. service members were killed and at least 34 wounded in a drone attack on a U.S. base in northeastern Jordan.
Qaani told the groups that killing U.S. service members risked a heavy U.S. response, according to Reuters, citing 10 of the sources.
He said the militias should lie low to avoid U.S. strikes on their senior commanders, destruction of key infrastructure, or even a direct retaliation against Iran, the sources said.
Most of the Iranian-backed groups agreed to Qaani’s request, except one. The next day, Kata’ib Hezbollah announced suspending attacks, the sources added.
“Without Qaani’s direct intervention, it would have been impossible to convince Kata’ib Hezbollah to halt its military operations to deescalate the tension”, a senior commander in an Iranian-backed Iraqi group said.
A high-ranking Iranian security official said: “Qaani’s visit was successful, though not entirely, as not all Iraqi groups consented to de-escalate.”
A very active group, Nujaba, said it would continue attacks, arguing that U.S. forces would only leave by force, according to the security official.