BAGHDAD (Washington Insider Magazine) – According to Iraqi police reports, at least 3 missiles hit the Baghdad International Airport compound and a nearby US airbase, damaging one abandoned civilian airliner.
According to a source in the interior ministry, the missiles hit the runways or parking areas of Baghdad International Airport, causing damage to a civilian airliner. The attackers did not immediately claim responsibility for the attack.
Officials said there was no other destruction or injuries in Friday’s strike, and that the destroyed Iraqi Airways plane was no longer in service.
Travel was not disrupted, according to Iraq’s national news agency, which cited the country’s aviation authority.
Iraqi Airways shared photos of the damage, which included damage near the plane’s front, on its social media accounts. According to the airline, no flights were impacted by the strike.
Camp Victory, a US airfield, is located on the outskirts of Baghdad’s civilian airport.
In recent years, the facility has been struck by rocket assaults, blamed on Iran-aligned Shia militant groups that challenge the US military operation in the region by the US and some Iraqi officials.
According to Iraqi intelligence officials, at least four missiles were fired towards the US embassy in Baghdad’s heavily protected Green Zone earlier this month, hurting two civilians.
Three of the missiles hit the embassy’s fence, while another hit a neighboring residential complex’s school, injuring 2 people, according to Al Jazeera.
Most foreign embassies, notably the US embassy and the Iraqi prime minister’s residence, are located in the Green Zone.
Since the death of Iran’s General Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a US drone operation in January 2020, it has been frequently hit by missile strikes.
Armed factions have promised vengeance for Soleimani’s death and have tied the termination of the attacks to the complete withdrawal of American forces from the country.
On July 26, Baghdad and Washington planned to remove US troops from Iraq by the end of 2021 in the fourth and last session of strategic consultation.
As the coalition switches to an advising role to keep supporting Iraqi forces, approximately 2,500 soldiers will remain.
According to a coalition source, US forces shot down two armed drones targeting the alliance at Baghdad airport on January 3.
