By Maher Nazeh
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Tens of thousands of supporters of Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary groups chanted anti-American slogans in central Baghdad on Sunday to commemorate the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and an Iraqi military commander.
The rally coincided with growing tensions between Iran and the United States in the last days of President Donald Trump’s administration, and many in the crowd demanded revenge.
Soleimani, head of an elite overseas unit of Iran’s revolutionary guards, was killed along with Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis on January 3, 2020, in a US drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport.
Washington accused Soleimani of mastering attacks by Iranian militants on U.S. troops in the region, and his assassination took American and Iranian hostilities into unknown waters and expressed concern over a major burn.
Protesters gathered at Tahrir Square waved Iraqi and PMF flags and shouted anti-American slogans such as “America is the great Satan” while wearing portraits of Soleimani and Muhandis.
They flocked to Central Square in response to calls from a series of militia groups collectively known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), mostly supported by Iran.
Large posters of the two men killed and others who also died in the attack were all around the square and hung on adjacent buildings.
PMF chief Faleh al-Fayyad and politician Hadi al-Ameri, commander of the militia of the Badr organization, who both addressed the crowd, called for US troops to be expelled.
REGIONAL TRAINS
“We are here today to condemn what the American-Israeli enemy has done by targeting the leaders of the victory,” said Abu Ahmed, a protester.
“We call on the government to take a serious stand to hold those who killed them accountable.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Saturday reflected on the continuation of regional regions and urged Trump not to be “trapped” by an alleged Israeli plan to provoke a war by attacking US troops in Iraq.
An Israeli official dismissed the accusation as “nonsense” and said it should be Israel that should be ready for Iranian strikes.
The United States blames militias backed by Iran for frequent rocket attacks on US facilities in Iraq. No known Iran-backed groups have claimed responsibility.
The U.S. military flew two nuclear-free B-52 bombers to the Middle East last week in a message of deterrence to Iran, but the bombers have since left the region.
On Saturday night, thousands of mourners gathered on the highway leading to Baghdad airport, where Soleimani and Muhandis were killed, in a simulated funeral procession presented in homage to the two men.
(Report by Maher Nazeh, written by Amina Ismail, edited by William Maclean)