Iraq scrambles to contain fighting between U.S. troops, Iran-backed groups

say their attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s backing of Israel and its military presence in Iraq and Syria. BAGHDAD — Dozens of Al-Sudani has condemned attacks on U.S. military facil- the attacks and U.S. countities by Iran-backed factions er-strikes as a violation of his in Iraq over the past two country’s sovereignty. He months as the Israel-Hamas has also ordered authorities war has raged have forced to pursue militants involved Baghdad into a balancing in the attacks, most of which act that’s becoming more caused no injuries and only difficult by the day. minor damage. His office

A rocket attack on the declined further comment. sprawling U.S. Embassy in Washington has sent mesBaghdad on Friday marked sages that its patience is a further escalation as Iraqi wearing thin. officials scramble to contain After the embassy attack, the ripple effects of the lat- the Pentagon said that est Middle East war. Defense Secretary Lloyd

Iran holds considerable Austin “made clear (to al-Susway in Iraq and a coalition of dani) that attacks against Iran-backed groups brought U.S. forces must stop.” Iraqi Prime Minister MohamU.S. Secretary of State med Shia al-Sudani to power Antony Blinken told al-Suin October 2022. At the same dani that Washington time, there are some 2,000 expects Iraqi officials to take U.S. troops in Iraq under an more action to prevent such agreement with Baghdad, attacks, and believes they mainly to counter the mil- have the capability to do itant Islamic State group. so, a U.S. official told The

Baghdad also relies heav- Associated Press. ily on Washington’s sancDuring a recent trip to the tions waivers to buy electric- region, CIA Director William ity from Iran, and since the Burns warned al-Sudani 2003 U.S. invasion, Iraq’s of “harsh consequences” foreign currency reserves if Iraq doesn’t act to stop have been housed at the the attacks, an Iraqi offiU.S. Federal Reserve, giv- cial said. ing the Americans signifBoth officials spoke on icant control over Iraq’s condition of anonymity in supply of dollars. line with briefing regula

Al-Sudani’s predecessors tions. also had to walk a delicate In a call with the Iraqi line between Tehran and premier earlier this month, Washington, but the Isra- Blinken said that Americans el-Hamas war has consid- would take matters into erably upped the stakes. their own hands, arguing

Since the war erupted that Baghdad had not done on Oct. 7, at least 91 attacks enough to pursue the peron U.S. bases in Iraq and petrators, according to two Syria have been claimed Iraqi officials who spoke by an umbrella group of on condition of anonymIran-backed Iraqi militants ity because they were not dubbed the Islamic Resis- authorized to comment tance in Iraq. The militants publicly.