American forces for years and was a target of the# first American strikes last Friday.
But another# group bore most of the dead and casualties and# claims no connection to the attacks on the U.S. Special correspondent Simona Foltyn# traveled to the site of those airstrikes## in Western Iraq and met members of this other# paramilitary group for this exclusive report.
SIMONA FOLTYN: Conflict is spreading through# the Middle East; 400 miles from Gaza,## another front has claimed three# American and many more Iraqi lives.
We have been driving for hours into the deserts# of Western Iraq to reach a place called Akashat.## It's located near Iraq's border with Syria and# has been heavily hit by American airstrikes.
Those strikes were the Biden# administration's response to## a drone attack that killed three# U.S. service members in Jordan,## but who exactly did they hit?
This stretch# of barren land has been carved up bet number of armed actors jostling for power# and control over the strategic border.
Akashat, a small town left abandoned since the# war with ISIS, falls under the 13th Brigade of## the Popular Mobilization Forces, an umbrella# group of paramilitary forces formed to fight## ISIS beginning in 2014 and that are now# officially part of Iraq's security forces.
Abu Saif witnessed the attacks.
He tells me that# the first missile struck the military hospital.
ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI, Soldier, Popular Mobilization# Forces (through translator): Around three to four## rockets hit the ho SIMONA FOLTYN: The wrecked hulk of an# ambulance still lies beneath the rubble;## 17 PMF members in total were killed.
ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI (through translator):# They targeted other places in this compound,## so that anyone who's injured# can't get medical care.
SIMONA FOLTYN: So you think it was on purpose?
ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI (through translator): Yes,## it was on purpose.
Why e SIMONA FOLTYN: This is the first time Brigade# 13, also called Liwa Tafuf, was targeted by## the United States, and many here are struggling to# understand why.
It's not part of the four entities## that make up another, more secretive grouping# called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has## claimed responsibility for attacking American# troops at bases throughout Iraq and Syria.
ABU SAIF AL-TAMIMI (through translator): We don't# have anything to do with the attacks.
They can't## get to those who carry out the attacks, so they# target tho SIMONA FOLTYN: The group that is believed# responsible for the bulk of attacks on## American forces is Kataib Hezbollah.
I visited# their bases not far from Ak Kataib Hezbollah is the most powerful# of the self-dubbed resistance,## but part of it has been incorporated# into the larger PMF, and it tries to## use this official government-bestowed status# to shield itself from American retaliation.
The United States has designated# Kataib Hezbollah and other members## of their resistance as terror organizations.
The Pentagon said that American fighter jets# hit -- quote -- by Iran's Revolutionary Guards" -- unquote# -- and not the Popular Mobilization Forces,## or PMF, which is part of the Iraqi state.# But the targeting of the PMF's Brigade 13## here in Akashat raises questions about those# claims and the accuracy of the intelligence.
The other possibility, some Iraqi officials worry,## is that the United States has broadened its# definition of what it re target to all of the PMF.
Under heavy# guard, the commander arrives to inspect## the aftermath of the strikes.
His men warily eye# an American surveillance drone hovering above.
Qasem Musleh heads Brigade 13 and# the PMF in this area.
He tells me## that these installations have never been# used to launch attacks on American forces.
QASEM MUSLEH, Commander, Popular Mobilization# Forces (through translator): This place and## this activities towards American forces.
We are# part of the Popular Mobilization Forces,## and we take our orders from the prime minister.
SIMONA FOLTYN: There are accusations# against or Liwa Tafuf, enabled groups like Kataib# Hezbollah to launch attacks QA SEM MUSLEH (through translator): First of all,## to the resistance factions.
There was# no leadership here, as they claimed,## or people with ties to foreign countries, or# who took part in strikes on coalition forces.
SIMONA FOLTYN: So you can say# with absolute confidence that## your brigade has never attacked American forces?
QASEM MUSLEH (through translator):# Absolutely not, and we won't.
SIMONA FOLTYN: What is your# message to the American QASEM MUSLEH (through translator): First# of all, let them review their accounts## and their agents who transmit informat verify the information they received,# because there are innocent people here.
SIMONA FOLTYN: The White House gave plenty# of advance warning of impending strikes,## giving the factions responsible for attacking# American troops time to vacate their facilities and leaving others to pay the# price, including civilians.
We drive onwards to al-Qaim, where American# strikes targeted a Kataib Hezbollah base## inside a residential area.
There, I# met Anmar Al-Rawi.
His younger brother,## 20-year-old student Abdelrahman, was killed# when a missile fell on the family home.
ANMAR AL-RAWI, Brother of Bombing Victim# (through translator): I was here when it## happened.
I own hands.
We are civilians.
This is# our area.
It belongs to us SIMONA FOLTYN: This security# camera captured the impact,## another clip filmed on a cell phone# the sobs of desperate It's unclear whether this was a direct hit from an## American warplane or secondary explosions# from wea Who do you think bears the# responsibility for your brother's death?
ANMAR AL-RAWI (through translator): In# the first place, the Americans.
Of course,## their strike was a reaction to the attack on# them, but their re not on the militaries.
Not one from# Kataib Hezbollah was killed.
They## knew there was ammunition in the base# and that civilians would be affected.
SIMONA FOLTYN: Nearby, people gather to pay# their respects for the dead.
Many Iraqis see## the U.S. strikes not as self-defense, but as yet# another violation of their country's sovereignty.
Tribal leader Ragheb Al-Karbouli# fears worse is yet to come.
SHEIK RAGHEB AL-KARBOULI, Tribal# Leader (through translator): Perhaps,## if it may lead to an unpredictable regional war.
SIMONA FOLTYN: I ask him what the# solution is to prevent further esca SHEIK RAGHEB AL-KARBOULI (through# translator): The solution to th solution is the Palestinian issue.
An# independent Palestinian state with full## sovereignty will give an opportunity for# security and peace in the entire region.
SIMONA FOLTYN: By striking inside Iraq, many# here think the United States is fueling anger,## while not making enough effort to address the root# causes of what has already become a regional war.
For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm# Simona Foltyn in Western Iraq.
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