US Embassy accuses pro-Iran militias of attack on Diplomatic compound in Baghdad
The statement noted that there were “no reported casualties” and highlighted that "indications are that the attack was initiated by Iran-aligned militia groups, which operate freely in Iraq.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The US Embassy in Baghdad on Friday accused pro-Iranian groups of attacking the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Compound (BDSC) on Tuesday, underscoring that the United States reserves the right to self-defense.
“On Tuesday, September 10, the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Compound, a US diplomatic facility, was attacked,” the embassy said in a statement.
The statement noted that there were “no reported casualties” and highlighted that "indications are that the attack was initiated by Iran-aligned militia groups, which operate freely in Iraq.”
The embassy further emphasized the responsibility of the Iraqi government, stating, "The Iraqi Government has repeatedly committed to protect diplomatic missions as well as U.S. military personnel.”
— Ambassador Alina L. Romanowski (@USAmbIraq) September 13, 2024
“We again call on the government of Iraq, as we have done on many occasions, to protect diplomatic and Coalition partner personnel and facilities,” the statement added.
The BDSC has been targeted in the past, most notably on January 3, 2022. The complex provides logistical support for the US diplomatic mission and houses medical facilities.
Read More: Rocket attack targets US embassy in Baghdad
Read More: Rocket lands near US facility in Baghdad, drones intercepted at western Iraqi airbase
A senior Iraqi security official, speaking to Agence France-Presse under anonymity, confirmed that two Katyusha rockets were fired near Baghdad International Airport on Tuesday. “One rocket hit the wall of the Iraqi counter-terrorism forces compound, and the second landed inside the base hosting the international anti-ISIS coalition led by the US,” the official stated.
This latest security development occurred amid growing regional tensions and just hours before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Baghdad since his election in July.
Currently, the U.S. has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in neighbouring Syria, forming part of the coalition established in 2014 to combat the Islamic State (ISIS). The coalition also includes forces from other nations, including France and the UK. However, Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have persistently called for the withdrawal of these foreign troops.
While negotiations between Baghdad and Washington have been ongoing regarding the gradual reduction of coalition forces, Myles Caggins, former spokesperson for the anti-ISIS coalition and current spokesperson for the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), expressed skepticism about the full withdrawal of US troops.
Read More: Col. Caggins: U.S. Forces Will Stay in Iraq—Talks are About Transition to Bilateral Security Ties
He explained that the presence of foreign forces in Iraq is transitioning from a multilateral coalition-based structure to a series of bilateral agreements between Baghdad and individual nations with military personnel in the country.
In its statement, the US embassy in Baghdad reiterated that it “reserves the right to self-defense and to protect our personnel anywhere in the world.”
