al-Hashd al-Shaabi

A military base in Iraq with US troops was attacked once again. There were no casualties, world agencies reported, citing a communique by Iraqi armed forces.

Today, Katyusha rockets targeted the Taji military camp, located north of Baghdad.

The incidents come amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran .

Turkey will contact the new Donald Trump administration over the weekend to focus on "intense issues" such as Syria and the upcoming meeting in Astana, along with bilateral relations, presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın has said. 

Not too long ago, it was only three months ago when Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi issued harsh statements against Turkey. During Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım's recent visit to Iraq, al-Abadi was constructive and is expected to visit Turkey in March or April. 

The Iraqi government's effort to integrate a Shiite militia, the al-Hashd al-Shaabi, into the country's security forces is concerning as it might increase Iran's influence with Baghdad, a U.S. general said on Nov. 30. 

Iraqi parliament on Nov. 26 voted to accord full legal status to government-sanctioned Shiite militias, the al-Hashd al-Shaabi or Popular Mobilization, as a "back-up and reserve" force for the military and police and empower them to "deter" security and terror threats facing the country, like the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Nov. 1 warned Turkey against provoking a confrontation, while stressing that he does not want war, after Ankara deployed tanks and artillery near its border with Iraq.

Turkish Armed Forces have begun deploying tanks and other armored vehicles from the Ankara-based 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade to Silopi in Şırnak near the border with Iraq, Anadolu Agency reported Nov. 1, three days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the country would reinforce its troops along its border. 

Turkey will reinforce its troop deployments in the border town of Silopi amid a possible Shiite offensive to liberate Tal Afar, which has a sizeable ethnic Turkmen population and is considered a sensitive target for Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said.