ARBIL: A drone carrying explosives was shot down early Monday near Arbil International Airport in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, where US troops from the international anti-jihadist coalition are stationed.
Kurdish counterterrorism forces confirmed the incident occurred at 2:20 AM local time, with no casualties or damage reported.
This marks the second such interception near the airport this month, though no group has claimed responsibility.
The airport, housing a US-led coalition base, has faced repeated rocket and drone attacks in recent years.
On July 3, authorities downed another drone in the area, with the Kurdistan interior ministry accusing the Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) of involvement.
The PMF, now part of Iraq’s regular armed forces, denied the allegations, calling them baseless.
The Iraqi federal government in Baghdad dismissed the accusation as “entirely unacceptable,“ stressing the lack of evidence.
Recent weeks have seen multiple drone and rocket attacks across Iraq, reflecting ongoing regional instability.
Iraq, long troubled by conflict, remains a hotspot for proxy tensions. Despite gradual stabilization efforts, security challenges persist. – AFP
