New Delhi, Feb 8
In a targeted drone strike in Baghdad, a senior commander of an Iran-backed militia, along with two of his guards, was killed in the eastern part of the Iraqi capital. The strike, which occurred at 21:30 local time, was confirmed by US Central Command (Centcom).
One of the victims of the strike has been identified as Abu Baqir al-Saadi, a senior commander within Kataib Hezbollah.
According to Centcom, the strike eliminated the “commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region.” The statement also emphasized that there were no indications of collateral damage or civilian casualties resulting from the attack.
The Pentagon further identified the commander as being responsible for orchestrating attacks on American forces in the region. The US has previously linked the militia to a drone attack in Jordan that claimed the lives of three US troops just last month.
In response to the recent drone attack in Jordan, Kataib Hezbollah, the militia to which the commander belonged, announced a suspension of attacks on American troops to avoid causing embarrassment to the Iraqi government.
Media reported that the drone raid, which occurred on Wednesday night in Baghdad’s Mashtal neighbourhood, resulted in several loud explosions. Witnesses described the strike as precise, targeting a moving vehicle on a bustling street and reducing it to a fiery wreck.