Armed drone targets US base in Iraqi Kurdistan, statement says

PHOTO CAPTION: Representational photo — A U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter provides transportation for U.S. Soldiers as part of a night live fire training exercise at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, May 29, 2020. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Derek Mustard via U.S. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service)

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - An armed drone on Friday hit Iraq's al-Harir airbase, where U.S. and international forces are stationed, Iraqi Kurdistan's counter-terrorism service said.

A service statement did not elaborate on whether the attack caused casualties or infrastructure damage.

A group called the Islamic Resistance in Iraq said it had attacked al-Harir military base by drone.

Friday's action took place a day after the U.S. military carried out a retaliatory strike in Baghdad that killed a militia leader it blames for recent attacks on U.S. personnel, the Pentagon said.

Since the Israel-Hamas war in the Palestinian territory of Gaza began in October, the U.S. military has come under attack at least 100 times in Iraq and Syria, usually with a mix of rockets and one-way attack drones.



(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; Editing by Alex Richardson and Angus MacSwan)