Thousands gather in Baghdad to mourn Soleimani, others killed in U.S. air strike

Friday’s attack on Baghdad airport, authorized by U.S. President Donald Trump, was a major escalation in a “shadow war” in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and American allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia.

Thousands gather in Baghdad to mourn Soleimani, others killed in U.S. air strike

Soleimani was Tehran’s most prominent military commander and the architect of its growing influence in the Middle East. Muhandis was the deputy commander of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) umbrella body of paramilitary groups.

The PMF are planning an elaborate funeral procession for both men and the others who died, starting in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, moving towards the Shi’ite holy city of Kerbala and ending in the Shi’ite holy city of Najaf.

Mourners started gathering in Baghdad’s streets in the morning ahead of the start of the procession, waving Iraqi and militia flags in a somber atmosphere.

Earlier on Saturday, Iraq’s PMF had said further air strikes near camp Taji had killed six people and critically wounded three when they hit a convoy of medics.

But both the Iraqi military and the PMF itself later denied any air strikes had taken place in the area.

The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State also said it did not conduct any recent attacks near the camp north of Baghdad.

Many condemned the strikes, seeing Soleimani as a hero for his role in defeating the Islamic State militant group. Others voiced approval, saying Soleimani and Muhandis had backed the use of force against unarmed anti-government protesters last year and established militias that demonstrators blame for many of Iraq’s social and economic woes.

Many Iraqis criticized Washington for killing the men on Iraqi soil and possibly plunging Iraq into another war.