US airstrike kills four Kataib Imam Ali fighters in Iraq's Kirkuk
Confidence: HIGH (78/100) | April 06, 2026 |
aljazeera.com
In one sentence: Four Kataib Imam Ali fighters were killed and 12 wounded in an airstrike on their position in Kirkuk's Dibis district, which the group blamed on the United States.
Why it matters: Iraq has become an active two-way battlefield: US and Israeli forces are systematically striking Iran-backed militia infrastructure across multiple provinces while those militias simultaneously attack US bases and the embassy in Baghdad. Iraq's government has since authorised the PMF to exercise the right of self-defence, raising the risk of a sustained retaliatory cycle that could draw Baghdad into direct confrontation with Washington and destabilise oil infrastructure across the country.
What Happened Today
- Four fighters of the Iran-backed Kataib Imam Ali group, affiliated with Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), were killed and 12 wounded in an airstrike on their position in the Dibis district of Kirkuk province on March 10; the group blamed the United States, according to Al Jazeera and AFP.
- A Kirkuk health official confirmed to AFP that 10 fighters were wounded in the strike, while the Kataib Imam Ali group put the wounded count at 12 — a minor discrepancy between sources.
- Separately on the same day, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they targeted the US Al-Harir Air Base in Iraq's Kurdistan region with five missiles, claiming the strike in a statement on their Telegram channel.
- Iraq's government security information cell confirmed that several PMF fighters were killed in a 'bombing' in Kirkuk but did not attribute responsibility for the strike to any party.
- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, in a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, stressed that Iraqi airspace and territory must not be used for military action targeting neighbouring countries, and rejected any attempt to drag Iraq into ongoing conflicts.
Contested Claims
- Kataib Imam Ali / Al Jazeera: The Kataib Imam Ali group said 12 of its fighters were wounded in the Kirkuk strike it blamed on the US. AFP (via Al Arabiya English): A Kirkuk health official said 10 fighters were wounded in the same strike.
- PMF statement to Iraqi News Agency, reported by FDD's Long War Journal: The PMF said US forces have conducted 32 airstrikes against PMF headquarters across seven Iraqi governorates since February 28. Foundation for Defense of Democracies: The United States has not commented on any offensive military operations in Iraq.
Unverified / Single Source
- (Unverified — state media only — single source, no independent US or Kurdish confirmation cited) Iran's Revolutionary Guards struck the US Al-Harir Air Base in the Kurdistan region with five missiles on March 10. [IRGC Telegram channel statement]
Key Figures
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fighters killed in the Kirkuk/Dibis strike | 4 killed | Kataib Imam Ali group via Al Jazeera; AFP |
| Fighters wounded in the Kirkuk/Dibis strike | 10–12 wounded | Kirkuk health official via AFP; Kataib Imam Ali via Al Jazeera |
| Total US airstrikes on PMF sites in Iraq since February 28 (as of March 12) | 32 strikes across 7 governorates | PMF statement to Iraqi News Agency, reported by FDD |
| PMF fighters killed in deadliest single Iraq strike (March 23, Anbar) | 15 killed, 30+ wounded | Reuters / The National News |
| Days since US-Israel war on Iran began (as of the March 10 strike) | Day 10 of the conflict | Al Jazeera conflict timeline |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who carried out the airstrike on Kataib Imam Ali fighters in Kirkuk? The Kataib Imam Ali group blamed the United States. Iraq's government security cell confirmed fighters were killed but did not attribute the strike. The US has not publicly claimed or commented on offensive military operations in Iraq, though the Pentagon acknowledged that combat helicopters have struck pro-Iran groups during the broader conflict.
What is Kataib Imam Ali and why is it a target? Kataib Imam Ali is an Iran-backed Iraqi militia integrated into the Popular Mobilisation Forces, Iraq's state paramilitary umbrella. It is a member of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, the coalition of militias that has claimed hundreds of drone and missile attacks against US bases and diplomatic facilities since the US-Israel war on Iran began February 28, 2026.
What does Iraq's government say about these strikes on its territory? Prime Minister al-Sudani has rejected any use of Iraqi territory for strikes on neighbours and condemned attacks on the PMF as violations of sovereignty. After the March 23 strike killed 15 PMF fighters, Iraq's National Security Council authorised the PMF to exercise the right of self-defence, sharply raising the risk of direct retaliation against US forces.
Background
The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, 2026, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggering a regional war. Iraq, long a proxy battleground between Washington and Tehran, was immediately drawn in: Iran-backed militias within the PMF began attacking US bases and the embassy in Baghdad, while US and Israeli forces have conducted dozens of airstrikes on PMF positions across Iraq. Baghdad, caught between its ties to both Washington and Tehran, has repeatedly called for restraint while struggling to prevent its territory from becoming a full-scale front.
Sources
- aljazeera.com — aljazeera.com (unknown date)
- english.alarabiya.net — english.alarabiya.net (unknown date)
- institutkurde.org — institutkurde.org (unknown date)
- criticalthreats.org — criticalthreats.org (unknown date)
- fdd.org — fdd.org (unknown date)
- usnews.com — usnews.com (unknown date)
- thenationalnews.com — thenationalnews.com (unknown date)