Baghdad: The U.S. Embassy issued an urgent security alert on Thursday, warning that Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq may launch strikes against central Baghdad within the next 24 to 48 hours.
The diplomatic mission, which has faced repeated targeting since the regional war erupted on Feb. 28, advised American citizens to evacuate the country immediately. The warning follows the expiration of a ceasefire previously declared by Kataeb Hezbollah, an influential pro-Iran faction that had paused its operations on March 19. The group notably declined to announce a further extension of that pause on Wednesday evening.
"Iraqi terrorist militia groups aligned with Iran may intend to conduct attacks in central Baghdad in the next 24-48 hours," the embassy stated in a post on X.
Escalating Militia Activity
While Washington and Baghdad pledged last month to "intensify cooperation" to secure Iraqi territory, the embassy's statement on Thursday offered a blunt assessment of the local government's failure to curb the violence.
"The Iraqi government has not prevented terrorist attacks in or from Iraqi territory," the embassy noted, adding that "Iran-aligned terrorist militia groups may claim to be associated with the Iraqi government."
This friction centres on the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF). While officially integrated into the Iraqi regular army, the coalition contains several pro-Iran factions that maintain operational independence. These groups have been the frequent targets of U.S. and Israeli strikes, including a Wednesday raid in northwestern Iraq that killed three PMF fighters.
Threats of Kidnapping
The embassy further cautioned that "terrorist militias have targeted Americans for kidnapping." This warning gained significant weight following the abduction of American journalist Shelly Kittleson in Baghdad on Tuesday evening.
An Iraqi security official confirmed to AFP that a suspect with links to Kataeb Hezbollah has been detained in connection with the kidnapping. In a move to incentivise cooperation, the embassy reposted a "Rewards for Justice" appeal, offering up to $3 million for information leading to the prevention of "terrorist attacks."
Violence in Kurdistan
The instability has extended into the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region. Governor Omed Khoshnaw of Erbil stated Thursday that the province has been the target of more than 500 attacks since the commencement of the war.
Security sources reported a massive overnight swarm of at least 30 drones targeting the Erbil and Duhok governorates. While no casualties were reported from the latest barrage, the scale of the coordinated attack highlights the persistent threat to the northern enclave.
The Pentagon has acknowledged using helicopters to strike pro-Iran groups within Iraq throughout the monthlong conflict but has firmly denied allegations that it has targeted sovereign Iraqi security forces.
With inputs from AFP