Soleimani responsible for killing at least603 US personnel, says US State Department

US Department of State on Saturday announced that the slain IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani was responsible for killing at least 603 US service members and for killing thousands more in Iraq.

"Qassem Soleimani was responsible for killing at least 603 US service members and maiming thousands more in Iraq. 17% of US personnel deaths in Iraq between 2003 and 2011 can be attributed to this terrorist and his IRGC-Qods Force," US Department of State wrote on Twitter.

Top Iraqi PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, an adviser to Soleimani, along with six others were also killed in the US attack.

In an earlier tweet, State Department also said that Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis were responsible for killing peaceful Iraqi protesters who objected to corruption.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the execution of Qassem Soleimani by US military was aimed 'to stop a war, not to start a war.'

"We took action last night to stop a war, not to start a war. We do not seek regime change, however, the Iranian regime's aggression in the region including use of proxy fighters to destabilise its neighbours must end now," Trump said in a statement.

The attack came just days after Hashd members and supporters attempted to storm the US Embassy in Baghdad, in response to the air attacks against Kataib Hezbollah - a member of the umbrella organisation that operates in Iraq and Syria.

Iran is observing three days of national mourning in honour of Soleimani who is widely believed to have been the second-most powerful figure in Iran. Supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei has promised to exact "harsh revenge" for the targeted killing.