Armed drone shot down near US base in Iraqi Kurdistan

PHOTO CAPTION: Representational photo — An Iraqi helicopter takes off from Erbil for a mission, July 11, 2015. (U.S. Army photo by Cpl. Nelson Rodriguez via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Defence systems shot down an armed drone on Sunday over Erbil airport in northern Iraq where U.S. and other international forces are stationed, Iraqi Kurdistan's counter-terrorism service said in a statement.

A group called "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" said it had launched the drone to attack what it called an “occupation base”.

There were no casualties or damage to infrastructure, security sources said.

U.S. and international forces based in Iraq and across the border in Syria have been on high alert amid dozens of attacks on their bases since the Israel-Hamas war broke out.

Sunday’s attack came less than 24 hours after two drones were shot down on Saturday evening near a northern Iraqi military base used by the Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and al-Harir airbase that also hosts U.S. forces, according to the Kurdish Regional Government.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani has ordered an investigation in coordination with the Kurdish regional security forces and pledged to pursue those responsible for Saturday's attack, a military spokesman for the prime minister said on Sunday.



(Writing by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Andrew Heavens)