Mar 24, Kathmandu - In a devastating airstrike in Iraq, 15 members of the Hashed al-Shaabi coalition were killed, marking the deadliest incident since the start of the Iran-U.S. war.

The conflict has escalated into Iraq after Israel and the United States launched an attack on Iran on February 28. The Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), including Hashd al-Sha'bi fighters involved in Iraq’s armed forces, blamed the joint American-Israeli assault for the casualties.

In a separate incident, six Peshmerga fighters were killed in a ballistic missile attack in autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraqi officials condemned the attack as “hostile and treacherous,” accusing Iran of involvement. Neither the U.S. nor Iran has issued statements regarding the incidents.

In recent years, Iran-backed armed groups have claimed responsibility for attacks targeting U.S. interests across Iraq and the region. The U.S. and Israel have conducted operations targeting these groups, with the Pentagon recently confirming a helicopter strike against Iran-supported factions in Iraq.

Hashed al-Shaabi issued a statement urging political leaders to take responsibility and confront American violations. According to Kurdish officials, six Iranian ballistic missiles targeted Peshmerga positions, resulting in six deaths and 30 injuries.

Experts view these events as indicators of escalating conflict and regional security risks. The ongoing violence is significantly affecting Iraq’s political and security stability, with the Kurds trying to remain neutral amid the Iran-U.S. war.