Iraq
Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbassi (middle) visited Anbar province on October 20, 2023. Photo: Iraqi defense ministry
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s defense minister on Friday paid a visit to United States forces who were the target of recent rocket and drone fire, the latest in a string of attacks on American troops in the country by groups angered by Washington’s support for Israel.
The Ain al-Asad air base in the western province of Anbar, which houses US-led global coalition personnel and Iraqi army troops, has been targeted with suicide drones and rockets at least twice in the last three days. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a network of shadow militia groups backed by Iran, has claimed responsibility for one of the rocket attacks, linking it to US support for Israel against Gaza.
Iraqi Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbassi paid a “surprise” trip to Ain al-Asad air base on Friday, the ministry said, without providing details on the visit.
Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder on Thursday said one civilian contractor “suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and passed away shortly thereafter," following an attack on Wednesday. He warned that Washington will take all necessary measures to defend US and coalition forces in Iraq and Syria.
Several thousand Israeilis and Gazans have died since early this month when the military wing of the Hamas Movement carried out a surprise attack on Israel, which responded with force.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq also claimed responsibility for a drone attack against US troops in Erbil province, which the US army said did not cause casualties.
“In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in Iraq and the region. We want to emphasize U.S. forces will defend U.S. and Coalition forces against any threat,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement on Wednesday.
Iraq’s influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr on Thursday called on Muslims, Arabs, and “all peace lovers” around the world to gather for “peaceful” protests on the borders with Israel and stay there until the siege on Gaza is lifted.
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