ERBIL – A rocket attack at the United States (US)-led military base in Kurdish northern Iraq on Monday killed a civilian contractor and wounded five other people including a US service member, the US coalition in Iraq said.
It was the most deadly attack to hit US-led forces in almost a year in Iraq, where tensions have escalated between US forces, their Iraqi and Kurdish allies on one side and Iran-aligned militias on the other.
Kurdish security sources said at least three rockets landed near Erbil International Airport in the autonomous region late at night.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he had reached out to Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani “to discuss the incident and to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible.”
A group calling itself Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed responsibility for the attack on the US -led base, saying it targeted the “American occupation” in Iraq. However, it provided no evidence for its claim.(Reuters)
