A commander of the Iraqi Hashd al-Sha’abi Adel al-Kar'awi maintained that its forces are fully prepared to respond to any possible US attack.
“The United States is seeking to remove the Axis of Resistance, however, we are fighting against it," he said.
“The mission of the Resistance is to target the arrogant and the occupiers," he noted, adding that “if Hashd al-Sha’abi is attacked, the response will probably be beyond the scope of the aggression.”
In the early days of ISIL’s reign of terror, Hashd al-Sha’abi fighters played a major role in reinforcing the Iraqi army, which had suffered heavy setbacks against the Takfiri elements.
In November 2016, the Iraqi parliament voted to integrate Hashd al-Sha’abi into the military amid US efforts to sideline the group.
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