Over 35 paramilitary members killed in airstrikes across Iraq

BAGHDAD, March 12 (Xinhua) -- At least 35 members of an Iraqi paramilitary force were killed and dozens more wounded Thursday morning in airstrikes on its bases, security sources said.

Airstrikes on the 19th Brigade headquarters in Akashat near the Syrian border in Iraq's Anbar province killed at least 32 personnel belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces and wounded 65 others, a provincial security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Separately, an airstrike on a force base in Iraq's northern province of Kirkuk killed three members and wounded four others, a security source told Xinhua.

The same day, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command's Media Cell issued a statement expressing "great concern and condemnation" over what it described as a blatant violation of national sovereignty and a direct attack on Iraq's dignity.

The Popular Mobilization Forces confirmed the airstrikes in a statement, noting that its personnel were "performing their national duty in protecting the Iraqi borders and preventing the infiltration of terrorist groups."

Over the past few days, dozens of members have been killed in attacks, for which the group blamed U.S.-Israeli operations.

The attacks came amid heightened regional tensions amid joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran, to which Iran has responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel and U.S. assets across the Middle East. Enditem