ERBIL — Three explosives-laden
drones hit near the northern Iraqi city
of Erbil, where the United States has a consulate, Iraqi Kurdish officials said
Saturday.
اضافة اعلان
The attack came as the Hashed Al-Shaabi, a pro-Iran paramilitary alliance
opposed to the
US presence in Iraq, held a military parade near Baghdad
attended by senior officials.
The drone attack occurred overnight, the anti-terrorist unit in Kurdistan
said, with two striking a house and causing damage while the payload on the
third did not explode.
The US consulate condemned the assault in a tweet, saying "this attack
represents a clear violation of Iraqi sovereignty".
US interests in Iraq have come under repeated attack in recent months but
the use of drones is a relatively new tactic.
The United States consistently blames Iran-linked Iraqi factions for rocket
and other attacks against Iraqi installations housing its personnel.
Since the start of the year there have been 43 attacks against US interests
in Iraq, where 2,500 American troops are deployed as part of an international
coalition to fight the Daesh group.
The vast majority have been bombs against logistics convoys, while 14 were
rocket attacks, some of them claimed by pro-Iran factions that aim to pressure
Washington into withdrawing all their troops.
In April, a drone packed with explosives hit the coalition's Iraq
headquarters in the military part of the airport in Erbil, the Iraqi Kurdish
regional capital.
The tactic poses a headache for the coalition, as drones can evade air
defenses.
In May a drone packed with explosives hit the Ain Al-Asad air base housing
US troops.
On June 9 three explosives-laden drones targeted Baghdad airport, where US
soldiers are also deployed. One was intercepted by the Iraqi army.
Earlier that day five rockets were fired at Balad air base, where American
contractors are based, causing no casualties or damage.
The attacks on the airport and Balad came as Iraqi authorities released
Hashed commander Qassem Muslah.
Muslah had been arrested on May 26 by police intelligence on suspicion of
ordering the killing of Ihab Al-Wazni, a pro-democracy activist shot dead
earlier that month by unidentified gunmen on motorbikes.
On Saturday, the Hashed, which analysts say has become the predominant force
in Iraqi politics, held a military parade in Diyala province bordering Baghdad.
It was marking the seventh anniversary of the group which in 2014 to battle
the Daesh group that had seized almost one third of Iraq in a lightning
offensive.
At the parade, Hashed displayed various weapons including rocket launchers
mounted on vehicles, according to footage broadcast on Iraqi state television,
to an audience comprising Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhemi.
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