Qatar’s FM wants Gulf Arab nations to talk with Iran – report

While pro-Iran media claimed the explosions were caused by US airstrikes, Iraqi officials have confirmed that the incident was an ISIS attack on infrastructure.

TZVI JOFFRE

JANUARY 19, 2021 10:25

Iranian-backed militias stand on a tank close to the Syria-Iraq border (photo credit: ALAA AL-MARJANI/REUTERS)

An attack by ISIS militants on power transmission towers south of Baghdad caused the explosions mistakenly reported by regional media as US airstrikes on sites belonging to pro-Iranian militias in Jurf al-Sakhar south of Baghdad on Monday night, Iraq’s Security Media Cell confirmed on Tuesday morning.

On Monday night, the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen news, as well as Al-Hurra and Al-Arabiya, reported that explosions were heard near Jurf al-Sakhar overnight after airstrikes targeted sites in the area. While Al-Mayadeen claimed that US airstrikes had targeted sites belonging to the Iraqi Armed Forces, Al-Hurra and Al-Arabiya claimed that the sites allegedly targeted belonged to the pro-Iranian Kataib Hezbollah militia, with multiple deaths and injuries reported in the alleged incident.

Iraq’s Security Media Cell denied that Iraqi security forces in the area had been targeted by any strikes on Monday night, calling on the media and bloggers to be careful about transmitting information and not to broadcast rumors.

Content retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/six-dead-following-air-strike-in-southern-iraq-report-655910?fbclid=IwAR2VUDec9j6MJJ1j1LurTL8YDTCDhdyCU2o__R_yDlva2O0huuqT7ufyzvg.