A top commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, says the paramilitary group has deployed forces to the border with Syria in a bid to support army troops, who have come under militant fire from the war-torn country over the past three days.
A top commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), also known as Hashd al-Sha’abi, says the paramilitary group has deployed forces to the border with Syria in a bid to support army troops, who have come under militant fire from the war-torn country over the past three days.
“After several Iraqi border guard positions came under several attacks by missiles, and backup from security forces was late, the 13th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Units was deployed and targeted the origins of the launch,” the PMU commander for western Anbar, Qassim Mesleh, said in a statement on Friday.
There was no immediate report on who exactly launched the attacks from Syrian territory. However, it is likely that after suffering a total defeat in Iraq and losing urban strongholds in Syria, the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has resorted to guerrilla warfare against the Iraqi border guard troops.
“The operations command and the infantry brigade are now present on the Iraqi-Syrian border in border guard positions to repel any attack or movement by the enemy,” Mesleh further said, adding, “This area is not within the PMU’s remit but it is our duty to back up all security forces.”
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, an Iraqi military spokesman, confirmed the deployment, saying it was temporary and “very normal” since it was the PMU’s duty to back up government troops.
