Rocket attack on Baghdad airport a bid for US attention: analyst

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — An overnight rocket attack on Baghdad airport was an attempt to get the attention of the new administration in Washington, according to a political analyst.

Three Katyusha rockets were fired at Baghdad Airport on Friday night, one landing on a residential home, the Security Media Cell officially announced on Saturday.

"Two rockets landed outside the airport and the third landed on a citizen's house in the al-Jihad neighborhood, which led to material damage without any casualties being recorded,” it stated.

The Civil Aviation Authority in Iraq confirmed that air traffic at Baghdad International Airport was unaffected by the incident, according to state media.

Such attacks on the airport and Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone, home to government offices and diplomatic missions, were frequent after the United States assassinated Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in January last year. On September 29, at least five civilians were killed in rocket fire near the airport.

Iraqi militia groups backed by Iran announced a "conditional" ceasefire in October, suspending attacks targeting US personnel and facilities on the condition the United States withdraws from Iraq. But fresh attacks in November appeared to end the truce.

Iran-backed militia Kataeb Hezbollah, on their Telegram channel, said they were not responsible for the latest attack. "The attack on the evil embassy is not devoid of two options: either ignorance, idiocy or agency for Trump and his team," the group said, referring to former US President Donald Trump. His successor, Joe Biden, was sworn in on Wednesday.

According to political analyst Ihsan al-Shammary, the attacks are bid to get attention.

"These attacks are intended to attract the attention of the United States to the Iraqi-Iranian file," Shammary told Rudaw English on Saturday. "The armed groups are trying to deliver a message to the United States that they will not abide by the truce and their operations against US interests in Iraq will continue.”

The US embassy in Iraq revealed that Washington has provided some $20 million to support the Iraqi government in securing the Green Zone, according to a statement published on the embassy’s official Facebook page on Saturday. The statement was removed a few hours later and embassy staff were not available for comment.

"The support includes financing a team of civil engineers to conduct a comprehensive survey of current entry points into the international zone, and to develop plans for new gates,” read the now-removed statement.

The Green Zone is located in the Karkh district of central Baghdad, and houses foreign embassies and government offices. The area remains the center of the city's international presence.

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