Arrr! Yon envoy be telling us that more attacks be lurkin' 'round the corner, threatenin' Iraq's precious stability, matey!
2024-02-06
Arrr! Iraq's government be fierce on preventin' the spillin' o' the blood from this Israel-Hamas war, lest it be grippin' the whole region and draggin' powerful nations into this chaotic fracas!
The U.N. envoy for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, warned that ongoing attacks on Iraq threaten the country's stability. She emphasized the importance of avoiding a domestic or regional spillover of the Israel-Hamas war. Hennis-Plasschaert stated that attacks originating from inside and outside Iraq could undo the country's stability and other achievements made in the past 18 months. She referred to the Jan. 28 drone strike on a Jordanian facility hosting U.S. forces and the U.S. response with 85 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against sites used by Iranian-backed militias. Both Iraq and Syria claimed civilians were killed and injured in these incidents. Hennis-Plasschaert also mentioned the Iranian missile attack on the northern city of Irbil in mid-January, which killed civilians and contradicted the Iraq-Iran security agreement. She urged restraint from Iraq's armed groups, neighboring countries, and other countries to safeguard Iraq from being drawn into a wider conflict.Russia called a council meeting to discuss the U.S. airstrikes, with its deputy ambassador criticizing the U.S.'s attempts to transform Iraq into a stage for geopolitical score-settling. The U.S. deputy ambassador argued that Iran-aligned militia groups pose a threat to Iraq's progress since the defeat of Islamic State extremists. He highlighted the numerous attacks carried out by these groups, causing deaths and injuries. The U.S. is awaiting recommendations from an independent review on how the U.N. political mission can further support Iraq's plans for its future. Iraq's Ambassador to the U.N. condemned American, Turkish, and Iranian aggressions against Iraqi territory and expressed concern about the expansion and continuation of the Israel-Hamas war. He mentioned ongoing talks with the United States regarding the future presence of U.S. and coalition forces fighting against remaining Islamic State fighters, aiming for a smooth transition.