- Title: Iran-backed militia hold funerals for fighters targeted by U.S. air strikes
- Date: 31st December 2019
- Summary: MOURNERS MARCHING WITH FLAGS MOURNERS CHANTING (Arabic): ''AMERICA IS THE BIGGEST SATAN'' VARIOUS OF IRAQI POLITICIAN, HADI AL-AMIRI, MARCHING WITH MOURNERS MILITIA LEADER, ABU MAHDI AL-MOHANDES, MARCHING WITH MOURNERS VARIOUS OF MILITIA LEADER, QAIS AL-KHAZALI, MARCHING WITH MOURNERS MOURNERS MARCHING
- Embargoed: 14th January 2020 12:08
- Keywords: Baghdad Funerals for Iran-backed militia Iraq Kataib Hezbollah U.S. air strikes U.S. embassy anti-U.S. protests
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Civil Unrest
- Reuters ID: LVA003BCB2VRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Tearful mourners marched in a funeral procession in Baghdad on Tuesday (December 31) for members of an Iranian-backed militia killed by U.S. air strikes.
The air strikes were carried out on Sunday (December 29) against the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia in response to the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base, U.S. officials said.
Demonstrators surrounded the U.S. embassy on Tuesday in protest at the strikes, forcing the embassy to evacuate the building.
Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi on Monday (December 30) condemned the strikes, which could plunge Iraq further into the heart of a proxy conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Tensions have risen between Tehran and Washington - Iraq's two main allies - since last year when President Donald Trump pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions.
(Production: Maher Nazeh, Mohammed Katfan) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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