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Airstrike Near Syria Border Leaves Six Iraqi Paramilitary Fighters Dead

Published by Samuel Ayomide on March 16th, 2026.

At least six members of the Popular Mobilization Forces have been killed following an airstrike in western Iraqclose to the border with Syria, according to a statement released by the group on Monday.

The paramilitary alliance—widely known as Hashed al-Shaabi—said the strike targeted what it described as an official security position operated by its fighters. In the statement, the group alleged that the attack was carried out by “Zionist forces,” claiming the bombardment hit one of its operational checkpoints.

Apart from the fatalities, at least four other fighters were reportedly injured during the incident. Officials within the group confirmed that the wounded were taken for medical treatment shortly after the strike.

According to reports monitored by The Punch, local sources said the targeted checkpoint also housed members of Iraq’s regular security forces, including personnel from the army and the police.

A security official affiliated with the group, speaking to international media, claimed the area was struck a second time when emergency teams arrived to evacuate casualties. He initially blamed United States forces for the operation, although no immediate confirmation came from Washington.

The Popular Mobilization Forces was formed in 2014 as a coalition of armed factions that mobilised to combat extremist groups, including militants linked to Islamic State. Over time, the coalition was formally incorporated into the Iraqi state security structure and now operates under the umbrella of the country’s armed forces.

However, analysts note that several brigades within the alliance maintain close ties with Iran and are often accused of operating independently despite their official integration into government security forces.

As reported by The Guardian Nigeria, military installations and positions linked to the coalition have been targeted repeatedly in recent months, particularly since tensions escalated in the wider Middle East conflict earlier this year.

The paramilitary coalition condemned the latest strike, describing it as part of a series of “repeated aggressions” against its forces operating in the region.

Observers say Iraq, which has gradually regained relative stability after years of insurgency and sectarian conflict, now faces renewed security concerns as regional tensions spill across its borders.

Several of the Iran-aligned armed groups within the coalition are also connected to a broader militant alliance known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has claimed responsibility for attacks against military installations linked to the United States Armed Forces in recent months.

Security analysts warn that continued strikes and retaliatory attacks could further complicate the fragile stability in Iraq, which has long served as a geopolitical flashpoint between Washington and Tehran.