Iraq: Supply convoy for US-led forces struck by IED in Baghdad Governorate, Jan. 8

Event

A roadside improvised explosive device (IED) reportedly targeted a convoy of trucks carrying supplies for the US-led coalition in the Yusufiya area in Baghdad Governorate, south of the Iraqi capital, Jan. 8. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Context

The incident comes amid heightened tensions between the US, Iran, and Tehran-backed regional proxies. Tensions have been high since Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani and several prominent Iraqi Shi'a militia leaders, including Abu Mahdi al-Mohandes, were killed in a US drone attack near Baghdad International Airport (BGW) in January 2020. Shi'a militia leaders have regularly threatened to avenge Soleimani's and al-Mohandes' deaths; IED attacks against convoys carrying supplies for US-led coalition forces have increased.