BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – The head of the Iraqi resistance group Harakat Hezbollah Nujaba says there is no friendship between Baghdad and Washington, and the American occupation forces cannot stay in the Arab country under any pretext.
Akram al-Kaabi, the founder and secretary-general of the movement, made the remarks in a meeting with the resistance group’s injured veteran soldiers in the fight against U.S. occupation forces and terrorists.
“The path of crusade continues and the fronts are active as the enemy is still present. As long as the U.S. and Israeli Zionism are fighting against God, religion and humanity, the believers in sanctities and authentic values should stand up to them,” Kaabi told the meeting.
“There is no friendship with America,” he said. “The U.S. is an enemy and will remain an enemy. We do not accept the staying of American forces, including advisers, technicians and combat forces. The resistance has no other position and will never change it.”
While the U.S. claims it has ended its combat mission in Iraq, some 2,500 U.S. troops still remain inside the Arab country in what Washington calls an “advisory” mission.
Pressured by the Iraqi people, U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraq’s then-prime minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi declared in July 2021 that the U.S. mission in Iraq would transition from combat to an “advisory” role by the end of that year.
Anti-American sentiments have soared in Iraq over U.S. military adventurism in the region.
Iraqi lawmakers have unanimously approved a bill that required the government to end the presence of all U.S.-led foreign military forces in the Arab country.