Base in Iraq housing US troops 'attacked'

"The Victory Base at Baghdad airport was attacked with three rockets; two of them were shot down by the base's special defense forces, while the third landed near the headquarters of the Counterterrorism Command," one of the two sources confirmed.

Members of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Agency participate in a drill at Baghdad International Airport (Iraq) on June 21, 2023.

A second security source confirmed the information, noting that there were no casualties and the rockets did not affect air traffic.

There is currently no information on the reaction of the US or Iraq to the rocket launch. No group has claimed responsibility.

The latest attack comes as the Hamas-Israel conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israeli attacks in Lebanon threaten to escalate into a regional conflict.

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Since the conflict erupted in Gaza on October 7, 2023, armed groups have targeted bases in Iraq and Syria housing US troops due to Washington's military support for Israel. The US has repeatedly responded with airstrikes against such groups in both Iraq and Syria.

The United States currently has approximately 2,500 troops in Iraq and around 900 in Syria as part of a coalition it formed in 2014 to combat the Islamic State (IS). The coalition also includes forces from other countries, including the United Kingdom and France.

Many armed groups in Iraq have demanded that coalition troops withdraw from the country. Washington and Baghdad announced on September 27 that the international coalition would end its decades-long military mission in Iraq within a year. However, the joint statement and US officials did not specify how many US troops would remain in Iraq.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/can-cu-co-binh-si-my-dong-tru-o-iraq-bi-tan-cong-185241001073130454.htm