US ‘outraged’ by rocket attack on Erbil: Secretary of State

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The United States is “outraged” by Monday night rocket attack on Erbil which killed one civilian contractor and injured several members of the US-led Coalition, according to a statement from the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

“We are outraged by today’s rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,” read the statement from Blinken. “Initial reports indicate that the attacks killed one civilian contractor and injured several members of the Coalition, including one American service member and several American contractors.”

“I have reached out to Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to discuss the incident and to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible,” the statement added.

In a tweet, PM Barzani said he had spoken to Secretary Blinken and had “agreed to coordinate closely in the investigation to identify the outlaws behind it.”

Multiple rockets were fired at the Kurdistan Region’s capital Erbil on Monday night.

The Chinese consulate, a livestock market, and residential areas were affected by the strikes.

In a statement posted to Facebook, the Kurdistan Region's counter terrorism unit said "two rockets landed at the Erbil International Airport and one rocket flew over the airport". They also found the vehicle from which the rockets were launched. It's unclear from where the rockets were fired. 

Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman said from the scene of one of the rocket attacks that an American serviceman had been wounded.

The news was later confirmed by coalition spokesperson Colonel Wayne Marotto in a tweet, who said one civilian contractor was killed and five civilian contractors injured, as well as one US service member. 

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

"We were able to perform a strong attack with 24 rockets that hit its targets precisely after the failure of the CRAM defense system and the coalition missiles from stopping it," read a statement published on Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al Shaabi) propaganda channels.

The group claims it was targeting the al-Harir US military base, some 60km northeast of Erbil - the closest American base to Iran.

However, the numbers claimed by the group contradict security reports.

Iraq's Security Media Cell said that Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered the formation of a joint investigation committee with the KRG to identify the culprits behind the attack, according to a statement released via Telegram.

United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) chief Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert spoke out on the attack on Tuesday morning.

"Such reckless, heinous acts pose grave threats to stability. Iraq must be shielded from (external) rivalries. We call for restraint and for close Baghdad-Erbil collaboration to bring culprits to justice," she tweeted.

International targets in central and southern Iraq have been a site of frequent bombardment by rogue armed groups. 

The Kurdistan Region has seen comparatively less rocket fire, with the last attack on Erbil happening in late September, when several rockets targeted Erbil's airport.

"The targeting of Erbil that claimed victims represents a dangerous escalation and a criminal terrorist act against national efforts to protect the security of the country and the safety of its citizens," tweeted Iraqi President Barham Salih. "We have no choice but to firmly strengthen our efforts to root out the forces of terror and their attempts to plunge the country into chaos." 

Updated 09:44am