Drone attack kills Iraqi commander near border with Syria
Pro-Iraqi government paramilitary forces, al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Units)
Anbar (IraqiNews.com) – An Iraqi paramilitary commander was killed Sunday when an unidentified drone targeted his vehicle on the Iraqi-Syrian border.
According to Iraq’s state-run news agency NINA, an unknown drone has targeted two vehicles belonging to the 45th brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces south of al Qa’im district on the country’s border with Syria, leaving a paramilitary commander dead.
The slain militiaman was identified as Abu Ali al-Dubi.
Popular Mobilization Forces, an alliance of volunteer Shia paramilitary forces, have actively backed the Iraqi government’s military campaign against IS since 2014, when they were formed upon a top Shia clergy edict to counter the Sunni Jihadist group.
PMF won official recognition as a national force late 2016, becoming under the command of the prime minister, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces.