ALWAGHT- Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, Iraq’s prime minister, commended the late Iranian Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis for their “decisive and fateful” contributions to Iraq’s security, emphasizing that Iranian backing was a cornerstone of the defeat of ISIS.
At a ceremony marking the sixth anniversary of the US assassination of Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said General Soleimani concluded a “life of jihad” through martyrdom on Iraqi soil while serving regional security, emphasizing the scale of his contribution to Iraq’s defense.
Al-Sudani condemned the 2020 US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport as a heinous crime and a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty, noting it occurred in a civilian area protected under international law and was denounced by Iraq’s religious authorities as brutal aggression.
He reaffirmed Iraq’s determination to end the mission of the US-led International Coalition, announced the imminent handover of the Ain al-Asad airbase to Iraqi forces, highlighted the termination of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, and warned of regional threats posed by what he called “Zionist” plans, stressing Iraq’s role as a pillar of regional stability.
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid and PMF chief Falih al-Fayyadh also addressed the event, praising the commanders’ heroic roles in strengthening Iraq’s security, condemning the US strike as state terrorism, and underscoring the PMF’s role in rebuilding Iraq’s security structure and defeating ISIS alongside state forces.
