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People in Baghdad are said to have danced on the streets in celebration after the killing of Iran’s top security and intelligence commander.

General Qassem Suleimani died in the early hours of Friday in an air strike ordered by President Donald Trump.

In the months before the drone strike, Iraqis had angrily protested systemic corruption, a lack of basic services and Iranian domination of Iraq’s government.

Footage seemingly shows locals laughing and smiling as they excitedly run down the streets.


They are also seen chanting and jumping as they wave Iraq flags.

The US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, posted another video he claimed showed Iraqis dancing in the street ‘thankful that General Suleimani is no more’.

Iraqis — Iraqis — dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more. pic.twitter.com/huFcae3ap4 — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020



Suleimani, who ran Iranian military operations in Iraq and Syria, was targeted while being driven from Baghdad airport by local allies from the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMU).

General Qassem Suleimani died in the early hours of Friday in an air strike ordered by the White House (Picture: EPA)

The general (right) pictured with Iraqi Shi’a cleric Muqtada al-Sadr (Picture: EPA)

The deputy head of the PMU, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandes, was also killed along with five others including the PMF’s airport protocol officer, Mohammed Reda, Iraqi officials said.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, two officials from the PMF said Suleimani’s body was torn to pieces in the attack, while they did not find the body of al-Muhandis.

The US Defence Department said it killed Soleimani because he ‘was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region’.

It also accused Soleimani of approving the attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week.

However, an advisor to Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has warned that ‘through his gamble’ Trump has ‘dragged the US into the most dangerous situation in the region’.

Writing on the social media app Telegram, he added: ‘Whoever put his foot beyond the red line should be ready to face its consequences.’

The US embassy in Baghdad has called on all American citizens to leave Iraq immediately.

However, the president celebrated the results of the drone strike by tweeting a picture of the American flag.

The attack potentially marks a turning point in the Middle East and could represent a drastic change for American policy toward Iran after months of tensions in which Tehran shot down a US military surveillance drone and seized oil tankers.

The US also has put blame on Iran for a series of attacks targeting tankers, as well as an assault in September on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry that temporarily halved its production.

Tension was spurred by Mr Trump’s decision in May 2018 to withdraw the US from Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers.

It remains unclear what legal authority the White House relied on to carry out the attack and the Pentagon has so far not provided evidence to prove that Soleimani was planning new attacks against Americans.

However, presidents claim authority to act without congressional approval when US personnel or interests are facing an imminent threat.

The words ‘death to America’ are painted on the ground in Baghdad (Picture: AFP/ via Getty Images)

A mock US flag is laid on the ground for cars to drive on in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on January 3, 2020, following news of the air strike (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Mr Trump owed a full explanation to Congress and the American people, stating the ‘present authorisations for use of military force in no way cover starting a possible new war’.



Nonetheless, Trump’s allies praised his actions.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted: ‘To the Iranian government: if you want more, you will get more.’

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