- Title: Worried Iraqis fear aftermath of Soleimani killing
- Date: 3rd January 2020
- Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 3, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND TAHRIR SQUARE WOMAN GIVING OUT NEWSPAPERS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN, SAYING: "We have not wanted Iran's influence in Iraq from the beginning, and we also condemn America's interference in Iraq's domestic affairs. We don't want Iraq to be pushed in to the American-Iranian conflict.'' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AND VEHICLES AT TAHRIR SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED MAN, SAYING: "These acts are the beginning of the American-Iranian conflict in Iraq, after dominating and belittling Iraq's role. So, 'what is the role of Iraqi government in this conflict?' The government deems Soleimani as councillor and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as leader of Hashid Shaabi (eds note: refers to Iran-backed Iraqi militias, also called Popular Mobilisation Forces or PMF) everyone knows this. Some of the armed detachments of PMF are controlled, but the attack on the U.S. embassy shows that some armed groups couldn't be controlled. So this air strike will have grave consequences.'' VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AND VEHICLES AT TAHRIR SQUARE
- Embargoed: 17th January 2020 09:39
- Keywords: Baghdad Iran Iraq reaction Qassem Soleimani Tahrir Square protesters
- Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- City: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
- Country: Iraq
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA001BUMCKEF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Iraqis in Baghdad's Tahrir Square were worried about the aftermath of the killing of Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis on Friday (January 3).
Iran vowed harsh revenge in response to the United States air strike which killed the commanders on Friday morning at Baghdad airport.
Soleimani, who led the Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Iran's Revolutionary Guards and had a key role in fighting in Syria and Iraq, had acquired celebrity status at home and abroad.
Top Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, was also killed in the attack.
Muhandis oversaw Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), a grouping of paramilitary groups mostly consisting of Iran-backed Shi'ite militias that was formally integrated into Iraqi armed forces.
(Production: Haider Kadhim, Mohammed Katfan, Maher Nazeh, Marissa Davison) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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