Rockets with 'wooden bases' strike surroundings of Baghdad Airport

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – On Monday at midnight, three Katyusha rockets struck the surroundings of Baghdad International Airport without causing any casualties, according to a military statement.

Baghdad International Airport has been increasingly targeted since the assassination of the Iranian general Qasim Soleimani, long-time head of the Quds Force, at the beginning of 2020 in a US drone strike on a convoy near the airport.

A source confirmed to Kurdistan 24 that the missile attack “targeted a camp where American soldiers are stationed” in the area around Baghdad airport, while the Iraqi Security Media Cell said the three missiles were launched from the Al-Makaseb neighborhood, located a few kilometers southeast of the airport.

“Those that carried out the attack used wooden bases to launch the missiles, and the security forces found them and found the remaining missiles inside the launch bases which were defused,” the statement added.

The attack took place days after Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, issued a “serious” command to pursue those responsible for launching missile attacks on military bases hosting American troops.

The authorities have not yet been able to arrest the attackers, while Washington accuses pro-Iranian factions of carrying out the attacks, the latest of which was at Taji military base on Saturday night, north of Baghdad.

The attack comes following US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue in which Baghdad is expected to commit itself to protect bases hosting foreign military personnel. 

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany