ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The top United Nations official in Iraq warned on Saturday against the country being drawn into more conflict and called for exercising “maximum restraint,” after frequent, deadly rocket, drone, and missile attacks have put the country on edge.
“Despite the Government’s efforts to prevent the escalation of tensions, continued attacks - originating from within and outside of Iraq’s borders - stand to undo the hard-won stability of the country and the achievements it has made in recent years,” read a statement from Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
Iraq is the center stage of attacks against international forces of the United States-led coalition by Iran-backed militias angry of Washington’s support for Israel, and the target of ballistic missile strikes by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in retaliation for Israel’s recent assassinations of several key IRGC figures.
“Iraq is at risk of being drawn even further into this conflict,” Hennis-Plasschaert warned.
“Iraq’s stability and security are front and center in all our engagements. We reiterate our appeal to all sides to exercise maximum restraint,” she added.
US troops in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Syria have been the target of approximately 140 rocket and drone attacks by pro-Iran militias since mid-October. The US has responded with airstrikes on militia targets on several occasions, sparking outcry from the Iraqi government and calls from hardline Iraqi Shiite politicians to expel coalition forces from the country.
On Monday, the IRGC launched at least 10 ballistic missiles at a civilian house in Erbil under the pretext of targeting a “spy headquarters” of the Israeli Mossad intelligence service – a claim that was categorically rejected by Iraqi and Kurdistan Region officials.
“Despite the Government’s efforts to prevent the escalation of tensions, continued attacks - originating from within and outside of Iraq’s borders - stand to undo the hard-won stability of the country and the achievements it has made in recent years,” read a statement from Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).
Iraq is the center stage of attacks against international forces of the United States-led coalition by Iran-backed militias angry of Washington’s support for Israel, and the target of ballistic missile strikes by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) in retaliation for Israel’s recent assassinations of several key IRGC figures.
“Iraq is at risk of being drawn even further into this conflict,” Hennis-Plasschaert warned.
“Iraq’s stability and security are front and center in all our engagements. We reiterate our appeal to all sides to exercise maximum restraint,” she added.
US troops in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Syria have been the target of approximately 140 rocket and drone attacks by pro-Iran militias since mid-October. The US has responded with airstrikes on militia targets on several occasions, sparking outcry from the Iraqi government and calls from hardline Iraqi Shiite politicians to expel coalition forces from the country.
On Monday, the IRGC launched at least 10 ballistic missiles at a civilian house in Erbil under the pretext of targeting a “spy headquarters” of the Israeli Mossad intelligence service – a claim that was categorically rejected by Iraqi and Kurdistan Region officials.
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