“The United States is committed to helping the Iraqi army keep Iraq and Baghdad safe. To this end, the United States on Monday provided the Iraqi army with thirty armored vehicles to help secure the international zone,” read the US embassy statement.
The vehicles were presented to the Special Command Division (SCD) at al-Asad Air Base in the western Iraqi province of Anbar, “and will be used by the Iraqi military in their patrols,” the embassy said.
“This contribution is one part of a larger plan by the U.S. Military’s Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq to support the SCD in securing the heart of Baghdad”.
The provision comes amid frequent rocket attacks targeting the Green Zone – home to the US embassy, other foreign diplomatic missions, and Iraqi government offices.
On December 20, eight rockets were fired at Baghdad’s Green Zone, injuring one Iraqi soldier and damaging the US embassy compound and civilian homes. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held Iran-backed militias responsible for “flagrantly and recklessly” targeting the US embassy, saying they must “cease their destabilizing actions.”
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned Pompeo’s remarks on Monday, saying that attacking diplomatic and residential premises is “unacceptable” and has always been rejected by Tehran.
Attacks targeting US diplomatic and military sites in Iraq intensified after the assassination of top Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and deputy leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
The attacks led US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to threaten closure of the American embassy in Baghdad in September. Speculation over the evacuation of staff has continued to simmer ever since.
“We’re seeing rumors that the Embassy has been evacuated,” the US embassy said on December 25. “Ambassador Tueller remains in Baghdad, and the Embassy continues to operate”.
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