PM Barzani condemns rocket attack in Erbil, stresses cooperation in call with Iraqi PM

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said in a statement late Monday that he strongly condemned the rocket attacks that targeted the capital Erbil and had initiated an investigation into the assault.

Writing on his official Twitter account, the prime minister said: “I condemn in the strongest terms tonight’s rocket attacks on Erbil. I urge all Kurdistanis to remain calm.”

He emphasized, "I’ve instructed security services to start a full investigation and spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on ways to cooperate and identify the outlaws behind this terror attack.”

Two rockets fell inside the Erbil International Airport grounds late Monday in an apparent attack on the Kurdistan Region’s capital. A third rocket fell on a busy civilian street in the Bakhtyari neighborhood about 2 kilometers south of the airport.

Read More: Several rockets land outside Erbil International Airport in late night attack

Earlier on Monday the international coalition announced that one person was killed and six wounded during the rocket attack on Erbil International Airport and surrounding civilian areas.

“Initial reports that Indirect Fire landed on Coalition Forces in Erbil tonight. There was 1 civilian contractor killed, 5 civilian contractors injured and 1 US service member injured. More information to follow,” Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) spokesperson Col. Wayne Marotto said in a tweet.

Marotto told Kurdistan 24 that the nationalities of the civilian contractors was not yet known.

The Iraqi Prime Minister and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, announced the formation of an investigation committee shortly after the rocket strikes.

According to an Iraqi Security Media Cell statement, the committee will consist of a joint team with KRG and federal government authorities to investigate who is behind the attack.

The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Health earlier said three injuries were reported after the rocket strikes that began around 9:30 p.m. A member of the leadership of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Hoshyar Zebari, said that five rockets hit the city.

Editing by Joanne Stocker-Kelly