Iraqi MP: US Embassy Closure Threat Aimed at Provoking Public Opinion against Hashd Al-Shaabi

“Washington’s threats of closing its embassy in Baghdad is aimed at provoking the public opinion about the suspicious insecurities in the country and pave the ground for targeting Hashd al-Shaabi within the framework of the US new scenario,” Mahdi Amarli told the Arabic-language Baghdad al-Youm news website on Sunday.

He dismissed any involvement of Hash al-Shaabi in violation of security of diplomatic places, saying, “Actually, if they were after a war, they would declare it officially.”

His remarks came after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo threatened to close the American Embassy in Baghdad within weeks if Iraqi leaders fail to prevent firing rockets at the compound. He tried to accuse Hashd al-Shaabi for the attacks.

Hashd al-Shaabi officials have blamed the US for the recent rocket attacks in Baghdad.

Earlier this week, Kataeb Hezbollah group, affiliated to Hashd al-Shaabi, blamed the US spy agency, CIA, for the Monday rocket attack on residential areas in Baghdad.

"The CIA's footsteps is seen in the criminal operations in al-Radwaniyah and scientific evidence and proofs confirm it," Kataeb Hezbollah said.

It called for the formation of a joint committee by Hashd al-Shaabi and the Iraqi interior ministry to investigate about the attack.

Five civilians, including two women and three children, were killed in a rocket attack near Baghdad airport last Monday, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said.

The ministry's Joint Operations Command said in a statement that two Katyusha rockets landed on a house in the Radwaniyah area.

Two other children were injured in the attack, the ministry said, adding that the rockets were launched from Jihad neighborhood in Baghdad.