The US Embassy in Baghdad has accused Iran-aligned groups of assaulting the American Diplomatic Support Complex.
In a statement released on Thursday, the embassy indicated that the attack occurred on Tuesday, September 10, with no injuries reported as per their previous brief statement on Wednesday.
“Evidence suggests that the attack was orchestrated by groups affiliated with Iran operating freely in Iraq,” the embassy stated.
The Diplomatic Support Complex in Baghdad, which provides logistical support and medical facilities for the US mission, has been a frequent target of attacks, notably on January 3, 2022.
This previous attack coincided with the second anniversary of the US strike in Baghdad that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces.
An Iraqi security official, speaking anonymously to AFP on Tuesday evening, reported that two “Katyusha rockets” had landed at Baghdad International Airport; one hit the anti-terrorism fence and the other inside the base of the international coalition led by Washington.
This incident came amid regional unrest just hours before Iranian President Masoud Bazshkian arrived in Baghdad on his first foreign visit since being elected in July.
The U.S. maintains approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and around 900 in neighbouring Syria as part of the coalition formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State. This coalition also includes forces from other countries, notably France and the United Kingdom.
Iraqi factions loyal to Iran have been demanding the withdrawal of these forces, while Baghdad and Washington have been negotiating the gradual reduction of coalition forces in Iraq for months.
This escalation follows armed factions targeting bases in Iraq and Syria housing US forces, amidst Washington’s support for Israel in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza that erupted on October 7.
Christopher Lokieur, the Secretary-General of Doctors Without Borders (MSF), has described the humanitarian and health situation in Gaza as catastrophic.
