US State Department ‘outraged’ by Erbil airport attack

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The US Department of State has expressed outrage over Wednesday’s drone attack on Erbil airport. 

“Outraged by reports of attacks in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price tweeted on Thursday morning. “The Iraqi people have suffered for far too long from this kind of violence and violation of their sovereignty.”

Erbil International Airport was hit by an explosives-laden drone on Wednesday night. 

"After the relevant authorities investigated the explosion at Erbil International Airport tonight, the results show that it was carried out by a TNT drone and directed at the Coalition forces at the airport. There are no casualties and the investigation continues to find the source and place of the drone," the Kurdistan Region’s interior ministry said in a statement.

The US-led Coalition told Rudaw that no injuries had been reported as a result of the attack.

"An unmanned aerial surveillance system landed on a storage hangar at Erbil Air Base... A fire has been extinguished and damages are still being assessed," the Coalition said.

The United Nations top representative in Iraq also slammed the attack on Erbil.

"Last night’s events in the Kurdistan Region are another example of reckless attempts to inflame tensions and threaten Iraq’s stability," tweeted Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, chief of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). 

"We condemn these acts of violence and urge the Federal and Kurdistan governments to act swiftly and in unison to prevent further escalation."

The attack on Erbil International Airport came around the same time four rockets landed at the Zilkan military base, 10 kilometres away from the town of Bashiqa in Nineveh province. The base is home to Turkish personnel. 

One of the rockets landed inside the base and the other three landed just outside it, Sardar Yahya, mayor of the nearby town of Shekhan said. However, the Turkish defence ministry said that two rockets landed outside the base.

Two civilians were injured by the rocket fire, according to Rudaw reporter Nasir Ali. Among them is twelve-year-old Faiza Mahmood, who was taken to a hospital in Shekhan, where she is being treated for her injuries.

The Turkish Defence ministry said that a Turkish soldier had died as a result of the attack.

The US Director of National Intelligence's office had previously expressed concern over rocket attacks in an Annual Threat Assessment report released on April 9.

“Iranian-backed Shia militias are likely to continue attacks against US targets, such as the February rocket attack on Irbil International Airport, to press US forces to leave if the Iraqi Government does not reach an agreement with Washington on a timetable for withdrawal,” read the report.

Rocket attacks widely blamed by pro-Iran militias take place frequently across Iraq. The State Department previously expressed outrage over a February rocket attack on Erbil, which led to the death of two people.

 A little-known militant group by the name of Saraya Awlia al-Dam (Guardians of Blood Brigades) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has launched an investigation into the Wednesday attacks.

“The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mustafa al-Kadhimi has directed the opening of an immediate investigation into the attacks that took place in Erbil and other regions,” military spokesperson Yehia Rasool tweeted early Thursday morning.

“His Excellency affirmed that the security of Iraq is the responsibility of the Iraqi Government and the Iraqi security forces, and that this type of terrorist act that take place during the blessed month of Ramadan aim to destabilize security,” Rasool added.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) also assured an investigation will be launched.

“I assure all diplomatic missions, international agencies, NGOs and foreign nationals in Erbil that the KRG authorities will do their utmost to uncover this latest attack and provide necessary security measures to all,” the head of the KRG's Department of Foreign Relations Safeen Dizayee tweeted. “The perpetrators must be held accountable.”

Updated 11:08am