Iraqi Prime Minister survives drone strike as explosion rocks his residence in Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone
- A drone laden with explosives targeted the home of Iraqi PM Mustafa al-Kadhimi
- Iraqi Military called the attack on Sunday morning an ‘attempted assassination’
- Residents of Baghdad heard the sound of an explosion followed by gunfire
- Pro-Iran supporters have been camped outside Green zone for nearly a month
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt after his Baghdad home was targeted by a drone laden with explosives.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, the Iraqi military called an attempted assassination, but said Kadhimi escaped unhurt.
‘A drone tried to target the residence’ of the premier, who was not injured, his office said in a statement.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt after his Baghdad home, pictured was targeted by a drone laden with explosives
Two security sources confirmed the attack, which came as several hundred supporters of pro-Iranian groups protested near the entrance of the Green Zone against the results of general elections on October 10.
Residents of Baghdad heard the sound of an explosion followed by gunfire from the direction of the capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses foreign embassies and government offices.
Two Iraqi officials, who spoke on the condition they remained anonymous, said al-Kadhimi’s residence was hit by rocket fire.
It is not immediately clear who fired the rocket.
Pro-Iran Shiite militias supporters have been camped outside the Green zone for nearly a month after they rejected the results of Iraq’s parliamentary elections in which they were the biggest losers.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi was ‘unhurt’ in the attack at his Baghdad home
Residents of Baghdad heard the sound of an explosion followed by gunfire from the direction of the capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone
Security sources said the attack injured several members of Kadhimi’s personal protection
The attack, which security sources said injured several members of Kadhimi’s personal protection, came after protests in the Iraqi capital over the result of a general election last month turned violent.
The groups leading protests and complaints about the result of the October vote are heavily-armed Iran-backed militias which lost much of their parliamentary power in the election.
They have alleged voting and vote-counting irregularities.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on Kadhimi’s residence in Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies.
A statement from the Iraqi military said that the attack targeted Kadhimi’s residence and that he was in ‘good health’ but provided no further detail.
Kadhimi’s official Twitter account said the prime minister was safe and called for calm.
Security sources told Reuters that six members of Kadhimi’s personal protection force stationed outside his residence had been injured.
Western diplomats based in the Green Zone said they heard explosions and gunfire in the area.
Supporters of Iran-aligned militia groups which have grown their power in parliament and government in recent years have alleged voter fraud and irregularities in counting the results of the election on Oct 10.
A statement from the Iraqi military said that the attack targeted Kadhimi’s residence and that he was in ‘good health’ but provided no further detail
Protests by supporters of parties who dispute the results of the vote turned violent on Friday when demonstrators pelted police with stones near the Green Zone, injuring several officers.
The police responded with tear gas and live gunfire, killing at least one demonstrator, according to security and hospital sources in Baghdad.
Independent analysts say the election results were a reflection of anger towards the Iran-backed armed groups.
These groups are widely accused of involvement in the killing of nearly 600 protesters who took the street in separate, anti-government demonstrations in 2019.
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