Arrest warrant issued for Trump over Iraqi paramilitary commander's death

An Iraqi court has issued an arrest warrant for outgoing US President Donald Trump over the killing of deputy chief of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, commander of the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, in January 2020.

On January 3, 2020, a US drone strike struck a convoy near Baghdad International Airport that killed al-Muhandis, as well as Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

"A judge in Baghdad's al-Rusafa court in charge of investigating the killing of Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, issued an arrest warrant (on Thursday) against the US President Donald Trump," Xinhua news agency quoted the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council as saying in a statement.

The judge issued the warrant after hearing the complaints of al-Muhandis' family members and the completion of the preliminary investigation procedures, the statement said.

"Investigation procedures are continuing to find out the other participants in committing this crime, whether they are Iraqis or foreigners," it added.

The Hashd Shaabi or the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is a Shia paramilitary force made up of former militias with close ties to Iran.

It was recognised under a 2016 Iraqi law as an independent military force that answers directly to the Prime Minister.

Iranian state media had reported on Monday that Tehran has also issued an arrest warrant for Trump over Soleimani's death.

Tehran attorney general Ali Alqasi Mehr claimed that Trump would be prosecuted after his term ends.

--IANS

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