Illustrative. Smoke rises over the Erbil, after reports of mortar shells landing near Erbil airport, Iraq February 15, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani
Defense systems shot down an armed drone on Sunday over Erbil airport in northern Iraq where U.S. and other international forces are stationed, Iraqi Kurdistan’s counter-terrorism service said in a statement.
A group called “Islamic Resistance in Iraq” said it had launched the drone to attack what it called an “occupation base.”
There were no casualties or damage to infrastructure, security sources said.
U.S. and international forces based in Iraq and across the border in Syria have been on high alert amid dozens of attacks on their bases since the Israel-Hamas war broke out.
Sunday’s attack came less than 24 hours after two drones were shot down on Saturday evening near a northern Iraqi military base used by the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and al-Harir airbase that also hosts U.S. forces, according to the Kurdish Regional Government.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani has ordered an investigation in coordination with the Kurdish regional security forces and pledged to pursue those responsible for Saturday’s attack, a military spokesman for the prime minister said on Sunday.
