PMF Unit in Nineveh Targeted by Two Airstrikes Within 24 Hours

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) announced on Thursday that one of its units in Nineveh Governorate had been targeted by two separate airstrikes within less than 24 hours.

In an official statement, the group spread throughout social media, the PMF said that the fourth regiment of the 14th Brigade, operating under the Nineveh Operations Command, was struck twice as part of what it described as a continuing chain of attacks on its positions.

According to the statement, the first strike occurred at approximately 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, while the second attack took place at 5:20 a.m. on Thursday, both targeting the same location.

The PMF characterized the strikes as “U.S.-Israeli aggression,” but did not provide evidence supporting the claim. It added that no casualties were reported as a result of the attacks.

While no group has officially claimed responsibility for the latest airstrikes, similar incidents in the past have often been linked to efforts to curb the military capabilities of Iran-backed factions operating in Iraq. 

In a related development, on Wednesday, the PMF confirmed that Yasin Muhammad Sadiq, commander of the 53rd PMF Brigade in Tel Afar district, western Nineveh Governorate, was killed in a series of aerial attacks.

According to the PMF statement, two airstrikes struck the area: the first at 5:50 p.m. and the second at 6:40 p.m. The initial report indicated that Commander Sadiq and another PMF member were killed, while four others sustained injuries.

The incidents come amid heightened regional tensions and an escalation of military exchanges across Iraq and the wider Middle East, where Iran-aligned armed groups have increasingly come under fire in recent weeks.

Since the beginning of the war on Feb. 18, the Iran-backed Iraqi militias under the PMF have launched daily intensive rockets and drone attacks against American and other coalition forces and diplomatic missions members, as well as government and private sector institutions and residential neighborhoods, killing and injuring tens of civilians across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. 

The PMF, an umbrella network of predominantly Shiite armed factions, has been a central actor in Iraq’s security landscape since its formation during the fight against ISIS, but has also been at the center of friction involving the United States and Israel due to the presence of factions aligned with Iran.

The security environment in Iraq remains volatile, with the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issuing an urgent alert on Thursday warning that Iran-aligned militia groups may be planning attacks in central Baghdad within the next 24 to 48 hours.

The advisory cautioned that these groups could target a wide range of locations, including diplomatic facilities, businesses, universities, airports, hotels, energy infrastructure, and other sites associated with the United States, as well as Iraqi institutions and civilian areas.

The embassy highlighted the continued threat of kidnappings targeting Americans and raised concerns over the ability of Iraqi authorities to prevent such attacks, noting that some militia members may present themselves as government officials with identification suggesting affiliation with state institutions.

Despite the heightened risks, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Iraq remains operational under an ordered departure status to assist American citizens. However, the embassy advised against traveling to either its Baghdad compound or the Consulate General in Erbil due to significant security dangers.

The statement reiterated the State Department’s Level 4 “Do Not Travel” warning, urging U.S. citizens to leave Iraq immediately and emphasizing that those who remain do so at substantial personal risk.

These developments, coming alongside repeated airstrikes on PMF positions, underscore the fragile security situation in Iraq and the ongoing potential for escalation amid regional tensions involving U.S., Israeli, and Iran-aligned forces.