Armed drones shot down at Baghdad airport

Two armed drones have been shot down at the Baghdad airport, a US-led coalition official says, an attack that coincides with the anniversary of the 2020 US killing of a top Iranian general.

There were no reports of damage or injuries from Monday’s incident, which was also confirmed by an Iraqi security official.

The official with the US-led international coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq told The Associated Press that the C-RAM defence system at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Centre engaged two fixed wing “suicide drones.” The C-RAM system protects American installations in Iraq.

“This was a dangerous attack on a civilian airport,” the coalition official said.

The Iraqi security official who confirmed the incident said the drones were headed toward a US base at Baghdad airport housing US advisors.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The 2020 US drone strike at Baghdad’s airport killed General Qassim Soleimani, who was the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces.

Armed drones shot down at Baghdad airport
Independent Information