Six Arab states urge Iraq to halt cross-border attacks by armed factions

2026-03-25 - 19:01

Shafaq News- Baghdad Six Arab countries on Wednesday called on Iraq’s government to take action to stop attacks launched by armed factions from Iraqi territory against neighboring states, warning that failure to do so could lead to further escalation. In a joint statement, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Jordan strongly condemned “blatant Iranian attacks,” calling them a violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law, including the UN Charter. The statement accused Iran of carrying out such actions directly and through allied armed groups in the region, with particular reference to attacks launched from Iraq targeting regional countries and their infrastructure. The six states said these actions violate international agreements and UN Security Council Resolution 2817 (2026), which calls on Iran to immediately cease any attacks or threats against neighboring countries, including through proxy groups. While reaffirming their “brotherly relations” with Iraq, the countries urged Baghdad to take immediate measures to prevent armed groups and militias from using Iraqi territory to carry out attacks. They also stressed their “inherent right” to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, including the right to take necessary measures to protect their sovereignty and security. The statement further condemned what it described as destabilizing activities by Iran-aligned sleeper cells and groups linked to Hezbollah. On Tuesday, the armed group known as “Awliya Al-Dam,” part of what is referred to as the “Iraqi resistance,” claimed responsibility for 136 operations carried out over 22 days. The group said most of the attacks were concentrated in the Kurdistan Region, alongside operations in Syria, Jordan, and several Gulf countries. According to the statement, 55 attacks targeted US bases in the Kurdistan Region, while 31 were directed at Victoria Base in Baghdad. The group also reported conducting an aerial reconnaissance operation targeting the US Embassy in the capital. It added that 11 operations were carried out in Syria, 19 in Jordan, 11 in Saudi Arabia, and 8 in Kuwait, using drones and rockets. In response to the six states' statement, a spokesperson for Saraya Awliya Al-Dam said that the faction’s operations target “only the US presence” in Gulf countries and Jordan, adding, “any plans by the United States to deploy an additional 5,000 troops in the region would lead to intensified attacks against those forces in any country.” Al-Jaafari also claimed that recent strikes targeting units of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and Iraq’s Ministry of Defense were launched from bases located in some Gulf countries and Jordan.