By John Lee.
The United States has said that it expects and wants the Iraqi government to take appropriate measures to respond to recent attacks on American and British businesses in Iraq.
This follows attacks in recent days on Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Chili House, Lee's restaurant, the Cambridge Institute, and heavy equipment company Caterpillar.
Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Dept, has said that Iraq must hold the perpetrators accountable, regardless of who they are.
Transcript from State Dept press conference:
QUESTION: Yeah. In recent days, the anti-American groups in Iraq, they attacked a U.S. branch and UK branch in Baghdad, and they are calling for attacking the other branch in other cities in Iraq. Are you going to conduct an investigation into these attacks? And what's your assessment on that? Who do you blame for being behind these attacks?
MR MILLER: So, I'm not going to speak to any investigation that we may or may not undertake. But I would say that the attacks on these - what are essentially franchises of U.S. companies harm Iraqi workers, Iraqi patrons, and sometimes Iraqi capital that is being employed there. And so they are attacks against - eventually against the Iraqi people, and we think the Iraqi Government ought to take appropriate measures to respond to those attacks and hold people accountable for them.
QUESTION: And then today and yesterday the Iraqi interior ministry, they announced that they arrested assailants, and including the members of security forces. So what concerns do you have when the security forces in Iraq should protect the security of these companies and branch, but they are getting involved within the attacks and to this violence?
MR MILLER: Well, I would answer that by saying whenever attacks like these are carried out, whoever the perpetrator is, it is appropriate that those individuals be held accountable. And in this case, that's what the Iraqi Government is doing, and we want to see them continue to do it.
QUESTION: And last thing, about the escalation in the region. Today the Iranian IRGC commander in chief said that the Israelis should wait for a response over the attacks that happened in Aleppo. What concerns do you have about that?
MR MILLER: I would just say broadly that we want to continue to avoid further escalation.
(Source: US Dept of State)
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