US denies carrying out airstrike which killed 6 Iraqi militia leaders

The United States government has denied carrying out an airstrike which killed 6 high-profile members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias.

Multiple reports alleged that the PMF members were travelling in a three-car convoy north of Baghdad, when the strike occurred.

While Iraqi State TV said the latest strike which left three others injured was carried out by the US, the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said on Saturday January 4 that it did not conduct any air strikes near Camp Taji north of Baghdad.

Spokesperson for the Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), Colonel Myles B. Caggins III tweeted;

        "FACT: The Coalition @CJTFOIR did NOT conduct airstrikes near Camp Taji (north of Baghdad) in recent days."

Iraq's military also denied carrying out the air strike which struck a a medical convoy in Taji, north of Baghdad.

This is coming after Newsweek reported that Pentagon officials said that the US carried out a strike that meant to target the Imam Ali Brigades.

They further claimed it is likely that the leader of the group, Shubul al-Zaidi, was killed, Newsweek reported on Saturday. 

However, the PMF initially said that medics were killed, but no senior officials were among them.