Iraq Airstrike: PMF HQ Hit, Casualties Reported – Al Jazeera Newsfeed

A U.S. Strike in Iraq’s Anbar province on Tuesday killed 15 members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), including the commander responsible for operations in the region, Saad Duwai, the PMF reported.

The PMF, an official Iraqi security umbrella group established in 2014, stated the strike targeted an operations headquarters. According to a statement posted on Facebook, the group “mourns a group of heroic fighters” killed alongside Commander Duwai in what they described as a “treacherous U.S. Targeting.”

The PMF was initially formed following a religious edict by top cleric Ali al-Sistani to confront the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group and was later integrated into the Iraqi armed forces in 2016. However, despite formal integration, leaders within the PMF often operate independently from state control, and the group maintains close ties to Iran.

Reuters reported earlier that airstrikes targeting a site belonging to the PMF in Anbar province killed at least ten people. The differing casualty figures between the initial Reuters report and the PMF’s statement have not been reconciled.

The PMF’s statement links the attack to the ongoing conflict involving Israel and the United States against Iran, which it claims began on February 28th. This assertion suggests a potential retaliatory motive for the U.S. Strike, though U.S. Officials have not publicly commented on the rationale for the operation.

According to Wikipedia, the PMF’s allegiance is primarily to Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The group’s ideology is described as Shia Islamism, Khomeinism, and Wilayat al-Faqih, with stated interests aligned with Iran. The PMF also maintains alliances with Russia, Syria, Hezbollah, and other Iranian-backed groups.

The United States has designated certain factions within the PMF as terrorist groups. The PMF has been implicated in conflicts including the Iran–Israel proxy conflict, the War in Iraq (2013–2017), the Syrian civil war, and the ongoing Iraqi insurgency. It opposes groups such as ISIS, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and various Sunni militant organizations.

As of Wednesday, March 24, 2026, the U.S. Government has not issued a statement confirming the strike or providing details regarding its justification. The Iraqi government has also remained silent on the incident.