Some Shiite circles in Iraq are unhappy about the US role in the war against the Islamic State (IS), and some politicians are saying that Washington is offering aid to IS in its battles.

A leader in the Popular Mobilization Units, for instance, announced March 23 that they do not need the help of the international alliance’s air force in the Tikrit battle, as he believes Americans are supporting IS.

During a news conference in Najaf on March 5, Stuart Jones, the US ambassador to Iraq, denied the talk about US support for IS, as has the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. On March 20, the ministry revealed that a military committee conducted investigations in the bombing of the Iraqi army’s camp in Anbar on March 11; the investigations disproved that the international alliance aircraft raided the camp and confirmed that IS, in fact, bombed it.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi denied claims of a US involvement with IS, saying: “The US aircraft do not take action unless the Iraqi government approves. There is no evidence that any US aircraft aided the terrorist IS organization.”