The US Embassy in Baghdad issued a security warning on Thursday, expressing its concern about the possibility of attacks in the heart of the Iraqi capital within the next 24 to 48 hours, likely to be carried out by “Iraqi terrorist militias allied with Iran.”
The alert stated that “Iraqi terrorist militias allied with Iran may intend to carry out attacks in central Baghdad within the next 24 to 48 hours,” and pointed to a long history of attacks launched by Iran and its affiliated militias against “widespread attacks against American citizens and targets associated with the United States in various parts of Iraq, including the Iraqi Kurdistan region.”
The statement indicated that these groups may target various American interests, including citizens, companies, universities, diplomatic buildings, energy infrastructure, hotels, and airports, in addition to Iraqi institutions and civilian targets.
The alert also drew attention to the fact that “terrorist militias targeted Americans for the purpose of kidnapping,” and urged American citizens to leave Iraq as soon as possible.
The embassy reported that the Iraqi government “was unable to prevent terrorist attacks occurring within Iraqi territory or those originating from it,” and added that armed groups “may be linked to the Iraqi government,” with some of their members possibly carrying identity documents indicating their work in the Iraqi government.
The American mission confirmed the continuation of its operations, despite the mandatory evacuation of some employees, with the aim of providing support to American citizens present in Iraq.
The embassy warned American nationals not to attempt to go to its headquarters in Baghdad or to the Consulate General in Erbil, due to ongoing security risks, including threats of missiles, drones, and missiles in Iraqi airspace.
The embassy also recalled the Level 4 travel warning, which urges “do not travel to Iraq,” while emphasizing the need to leave the country immediately for those in it.
This warning comes in the context of escalating regional tensions linked to the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has manifested itself in the form of security tensions in multiple regions, including Iraq.
In recent months, Iraqi territory has witnessed a series of sporadic attacks targeting bases and sites believed to host American forces or facilities linked to the United States, raising growing concerns about the possibility of expanding the scope of attacks to include civilian facilities and economic targets.
This American warning reflects the growing level of concern about the possibility of renewed attacks in Baghdad, in light of the intersection of security threats with a regional escalation that involves multiple possibilities.
