US says did not inform Iraqi government before Friday's airstrikes

State Department says there was no pre-notification, contrary to White House statement on Friday

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Contradicting an earlier statement, the US on Monday said it did not inform the Iraqi government before carrying out last weeks’ airstrikes targeting Iranian-backed militias in the country.

“As for this specific response on Friday, there was not a pre-notification, we informed the Iraqis immediately after the strikes occurred,” US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

But on Friday, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: “We did inform the Iraqi government prior to the strikes occurring.”

The US launched airstrikes on Friday against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria after a suicide drone attack killed three American troops in Jordan.

In all, more than 85 targets were hit, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement.

Baghdad denied on Saturday any prior coordination with the US on its latest strikes in Iraq.

American aircraft bombed Iraqi bases in the Akashat and Al-Qaim regions as well as civilian neighborhoods nearby, said Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi.

In doing so, "the American administration committed a new aggression against the sovereignty of Iraq," the Iraqi News Agency said, quoting Awadi.

Kaynak: