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| Iraq |
| U.S. Officials Criticized for Participating in Iraq Forum with ''Known Terrorist'' |
| 2023-05-06 |
| [Shafaq News] The Long War Journal criticized the participation of U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad Alina L. Romanovsky and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf in the Iraq Forum, in the participation of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais Khazali as a "keynote speaker." The U.S. Journal described Khazali as a "known terrorist" responsible for "arming, training and forming the deadly Iranian-backed militias that are known to have killed hundreds of U.S. troops in Iraq." The report criticized the U.S. officials' participation in the forum and their interaction with Khazali, despite his "terrorist designation and history of attacks against U.S. and coalition forces." The U.S. State Department lists Khazali as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. In addition, his group, Asiab Ahl al Haq, or the League of the Righteous, is listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Earlier this week, Leaf began an official visit to Iraq. She met Iraqi and Kurdish officials, including Iraqi PM Mohammed S. al-Sudani and Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halboosi, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, and PM Masrour Barzani. Related: Long War Journal: 2023-02-04 Afghanistan intelligence official brags about ordering attacks that killed hundreds of civilians Long War Journal: 2023-01-28 Al-Qaeda threat, blowback for Pakistan increasing from an Afghanistan in chaos Long War Journal: 2022-12-23 AFRICOM: At least 15 al-Shabaab fighters killed in Somalia drone strikes Related: Asa''ib Ahl al-Haq: 2023-04-10 Police de-escalate tensions between Saraya al-Salam and Hezbollah Brigades Asa''ib Ahl al-Haq: 2023-04-02 Al-Sudani's appearance at Conference sparks protests over normalization with Israel Asa''ib Ahl al-Haq: 2023-03-12 Al-Sadr suspends the Sadrist movement's activities in Diyala |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #1 Inter alia: 20 March 2007 G squadron of the British SAS raided a house in Basra containing Khazali and arrested him along with his brother and his Lebanese advisor and gained valuable intel. 6 December 2019, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Khazali for "involvement in serious human rights abuse in Iraq," and his role in violent repression of Iraqi protests beginning in October 2019. |
| Posted by: Slavising Unineting5672 2023-05-06 06:38 |