جنگنده‌های آمریکایی در آغاز عملیات فلوجه نیروهای مردمی را هدف قرار دادند

Representative of the Secretary-General of al-Nujaba in a Conversation with Tasnim News:

US fighter jets targeted civilians at the beginning of Operation Fallujah

An official from Iraq’s volunteer Popular Mobilization Forces reported that US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) fighter jets attacked the Popular Mobilization Forces during the operation to liberate Fallujah.

In an interview with Tasnim News Agency, Sayyid Yahya al-Shabbari, the representative of the secretary-general of al-Nujaba (Hujjat al-Islam Akram al-Kaabi), reported on the bombing of the Popular Mobilization Forces ‎in the operation to liberate the city of Fallujah by the so-called international coalition and said, “By the grace of God, the city of Fallujah is under siege from all directions, and the Resistance Battalions have participated in the operation to liberate the city.  The operation to liberate Fallujah from Daesh began this morning but it began with the unfortunate incident of the targeting of the Popular Mobilization Forces by fighters of the so-called international coalition.”

His Eminence continued, “American fighters bombed the Popular Mobilization Forces stationed on the outskirts of the city when they started the operation to clear Fallujah, claiming that this action was a military mistake. Unfortunately, several members of the Popular Mobilization Forces were martyred in this incident.”

Rejecting claims that the Americans’ action was unintentional, he said, “We are convinced that this action was intentional, contrary to the Americans’ claim, and the reason for this attack is that the Resistance Battalions tried in every possible way to put pressure on the government to prevent the coalition forces from participating in this operation. With the grace of God with the efforts of the Resistance Battalions, the government was convinced to prevent the American forces from participating in the operation to liberate Fallujah.”

Referring to the Americans’ dissatisfaction with the lack of participation by the international coalition forces in the operation to liberate the city of Fallujah, Sayyid al-Shabbari said, “This upset the Americans and prevented them from achieving their goals, thus preventing them from achieving a victory and a trump card for themselves. Nevertheless, as soon as the operation to liberate Fallujah began, the international coalition fighters quickly targeted the Popular Mobilization Forces.”

The representative of the secretary-general of al-Nujaba ‎stated that the action of the international coalition forces and their participation in this operation was without coordination or without obtaining permission from the Iraqi central government, and explained, “I must emphasize that this operation was carried out without the permission or coordination of the Iraqi central government, based on the agreement of all Iraqi armed forces and the Popular Mobilization Forces, this operation was supposed to take place without any intervention of foreign forces but the attack by the international coalition fighters surprised us.”

He pointed out the importance of the city of Fallujah and said, “The western cities of Iraq are of great importance and sensitivity because they may become a place for the establishment of terrorist groups such as Daesh. These cities have the potential to accept extremist and terrorist groups because they have a majority Sunni population. Let me emphasize that many Sunnis do not accept these groups and their beliefs.”

In another part of his speech, Sayyid al-Shabbari said, “God-willing, the victory that will be achieved at the hands of the Popular Mobilization Forces in Fallujah will be a heavy defeat for Daesh terrorists because this city was considered one of the strongholds of the terrorists.”

In conclusion, he stressed, “The defeat of the terrorists in Fallujah will break their morale and this will be a prelude to liberating Mosul from the clutches of the terrorists.”