US-Iran tensions rise in Iraq, as Qassem Soleimani assassination anniversary nears
US-Iran tensions rise in Iraq, as Qassem Soleimani assassination anniversary nears
Iraqis fear a flare-up in sectarian tensions after Iran vowed revenge for killing military leader Qassem Soleimani in January. But some fear that factions within the Iraqi security forces could also threaten stability.
January 3 marks the first anniversary of the death of senior Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani. The major general was killed in a US-directed drone attack while visiting Baghdad.
In a statement earlier this month, Iran’s religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, repeated his country’s desire for revenge. For Iraqis, this may well pose a danger.
“We fear that Iraq will become the arena for the settling of scores and that this will only hurt innocent Iraqis,” said Nazem Shukr, a civil servant from Iraq’s Anbar province. “We’re worried that Iran will retaliate, America will react and then we’ll go back to square one, like in 2006 when there were sectarian tensions and many were killed,” he told DW.
Iraqis fear a flare-up in sectarian tensions after Iran vowed revenge for killing military leader Qassem Soleimani in January. But some fear that factions within the Iraqi security forces could also threaten stability. January 3 marks the first anniversary of the death of senior Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani. The major general was killed in a US-directed drone attack while visiting Baghdad. In a statement earlier this month, Iran’s religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, repeated his country’s desire for revenge. For Iraqis, this may well pose a danger. “We fear that Iraq will become the arena for the settling of scores and that this will only hurt innocent Iraqis,” said Nazem Shukr, a civil servant from Iraq’s Anbar province. “We’re worried that Iran will retaliate, America will react and then we’ll go back to square one, like in 2006 when there were sectarian tensions and many were killed,” he told DW. assassination anniversary assassination anniversary assassination anniversary
