Six rockets hit Baghdad International Airport on Friday in an assault that damaged runways and one civilian plane. The U.S. blamed hostile Iran-linked terrorist militias for the attack.
The Iraqi capital’s airport took direct hits on runways, a car park and a Boeing 767 part of the state-owned Iraqi Airways’ fleet. There have been no reports of civilian casualties.
In a statement that summarises how Islamic terrorism has entered everyday reality for the Iraqi people, an airline representative told the press that despite the attack operations were running normally and no delays were expected.
No organisation has claimed responsibility as of yet, but France 24 reports the United States blames militias linked to the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The terrorist attack on Baghdad Airport follows a spate of rocket and drone attacks since the beginning of 2022 that have focused on removing the American presence from the nation.
On the 3rd of January 2022, U.S. military forces were able to shoot down two armed drones that were about to attack U.S.-military coalition led troops at Baghdad Airport.
Two children and an adult were injured while at school when a rocket fell short during an attempted rocket attack on the U.S. embassy school on January 13th – two other rockets were able to reach the U.S. embassy grounds, but did not manage to injure any U.S. personnel.
Pro-Shiite Muslim factions have pledged to avenge the death of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, who was killed in a drone strike at Baghdad Airport in January 2020, on the orders of former President Donald Trump.
At the time, Soleimani was accused by the U.S. Department of Defense of “actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region”.