Gunmen attack Iraqi Communist, Islamic Dawa party offices

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A group of unknown armed men raided the office of the Islamic Dawa Party in the southern province of Basra, one day after a similar attack on the Iraqi Communist Party office, security sources confirmed on Monday.

The attack on the Islamic Dawa Party, led by former Prime Minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, occurred Monday morning as assailants used grenades, a local security source in Basra told Kurdistan 24.

The Islamic Dawa Party maintains strong ties with neighboring Iran and currently holds 25 seats in Iraq’s 329-seat Parliament.

Five grenades were launched at the party office by an unknown group, with two of them failing to explode, the source added.

The attack caused no human casualties, but caused significant damage the building.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, which came a day after a similar act targeting the Iraqi Communist Party’s headquarters in the southern province. In this instance, an improvised explosive device (IED) was employed, but no casualties were reported.

The Iraqi Communist Party is the oldest active party in the country, founded in 1934. It currently has only two seats in the Iraqi parliament.

Editing by Nadia Riva