ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Arrests have been made over a recent rocket attack on Anbar’s Ain al-Asad airbase, a senior Iraqi military official said on Thursday night.
Investigations are ongoing into the attack on the airbase, as well as the drone attack on Erbil International Airport, Joint Operations Command spokesperson Major General Tahsin al-Khafaji told state media, saying a number of people have been arrested in relation to the Anbar attack.
“Evidence has been collected with a big security effort,” he added.
Fourteen rockets were fired at Ain al-Asad on Wednesday. It was also hit by three rockets on 5 July.
"We have a lot of important, detailed information that will get us to those behind the attacks on Erbil, Baghad and Ain al-Asad base," Khafaji told Rudaw on Thursday night.
“Any security breach that happens in the Kurdistan Region or in Baghdad or in Ain al-Asad base or anywhere, a share of information is given to the Asayish and the forces in Kurdistan Region. We share info with the Kurdistan Regional Government and it’s a very important part of our investigation process," he added.
An explosives-laden drone hit Erbil International Airport, which hosts US-led coalition troops, late on Tuesday, causing a fire at the site but no casualties or physical damage.
Attacks on Iraqi bases, especially those hosting US troops, have increased since the US assassinated top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and PMF deputy commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad in January 2020.
There have been almost 30 attacks on or near bases in Iraq and Syria since the beginning of 2021, according to data collated by Rudaw English.
On Thursday, Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw called on the US-led coalition and the federal Iraqi government to protect Erbil’s airspace following the rocket attack.
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