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Thousands of mourners gathered in Baghdad on Saturday for a funeral procession for Irans slain military commander Qassem Soleimani, Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and others killed in a US air strike in Iraq.
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Fridays attack on Baghdad airport, authorised by US President Donald Trump, was a major escalation in a “shadow war” in the Middle East between Iran and the United States and American allies, principally Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Soleimani was Tehrans most prominent military commander and the architect of its growing influence in the Middle East. Muhandis was the deputy commander of Iraqs Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) umbrella body of paramilitary groups.
The PMF were planning an elaborate funeral procession for both men and the others who died, starting in Baghdads heavily fortified Green Zone, moving towards the Shiite holy city of Kerbala and ending in the Shiite holy city of Najaf.
Mourners gathered in Baghdads streets in the morning for the start of the procession, waving Iraqi and militia flags in a sombre atmosphere.
Iraq's prime minister attended the procession in Baghdad for Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi paramilitary chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, killed in a US strike the previous day.
Adel Abdel Mahdi joined Muhandis associate Hadi al-Ameri, Shiite cleric Ammar al-Hakim and other pro-Iran figures in a large crowd accompanying the coffins.
The coffins were first brought to a revered Shiite shrine in Baghdad's Kadhimiya district, where thousands of mourners chanted "Death to America."
The crowds then accompanied them south to a point near the Green Zone, home to government offices and foreign embassies, including America's.
The dignitaries then accompanied the coffins into the Green Zone for an official ceremony.
Earlier on Saturday, Iraqs PMF had said further air strikes near camp Taji had killed six people and critically wounded three when they hit a convoy of medics.
But both the Iraqi military and the PMF itself later denied any air strikes had taken place in the area.
The US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group also said it did not conduct any recent attacks near the camp north of Baghdad.
FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Read More – Source
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