US Forces Based at Iraq’s Erbil Airport Targeted in Drone Attack
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – At least three kamikaze drones reportedly attacked the American forces based in the military wing of the airport in the northern Iraqi Kurdistan region’s capital of Erbil.
The attack was reported early on Sunday at the troops’ base at the airport.
Iraq’s Sabereen News outlet, affiliated with the Arab country’s resistance groups, said a “massive explosion” rang out across the area during the incident.
The area’s sirens went off and smoke was seen billowing out, it added, and also reported that a considerable military and security buildup had followed the strikes.
Sky News Arabia said the airport had been shut off to all flights for fear of further attacks.
Kurdish-language television channel, Kurdistan 24 confirmed that the location had been attacked “by at least three drones.”
The channel said the aircraft had been intercepted midair before reaching their target.
A source inside the US-led coalition that occupies Iraq told Kurdistan 24 that the incident had activated the C-RAM (counter rocket, artillery, and mortar) system at the airport.
No person or party has yet claimed responsibility for the strikes.
Iraq’s resistance groups have, however, significantly increased their attacks on the American interests in the country since early last year, when a US drone attack targeted the capital Baghdad.
The attack led to the martyrdom of senior Iranian and Iraqi anti-terror commanders, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
Both commanders had played an instrumental role in the defeat of the Takfiri terrorist group of Daesh that the US has been using as an excuse for prolonging its presence in Iraq.
Following the American drone attack, the Iraqi parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a law mandating full withdrawal of all foreign forces from the country’s soil.