Katyusha Missiles Target Baghdad International Airport, Kadhimi Orders Investigation

Baghdad International Airport runway, EPA
Baghdad International Airport runway, EPA
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Katyusha Missiles Target Baghdad International Airport, Kadhimi Orders Investigation

Baghdad International Airport runway, EPA
Baghdad International Airport runway, EPA

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi ordered on Monday a security investigation into the party responsible for the missile attack on Baghdad International Airport.

The Security Media Cell said that the Joint Operations Command, heeding the Kadhimi’s call, is launching an investigation to determine the party that is responsible for firing 3 Katyusha rockets at Baghdad International Airport, which caused material losses.

The Cell also revealed that it was found that the three rockets were launched from the Zaytoun area in the Abu Ghraib district, west of the capital. One of the rockets fell on the airport’s parking lot, damaging four civilian cars.

It remains unclear if the investigation will truly lead to holding the responsible party accountable given that many similar militia attacks, chiefly aimed at getting the US to withdraw from Iraq, have gone unpunished.

Baghdad International Airport has been exposed to repeated bombing recently, and on August 18 and 30 missiles fell in its vicinity.

These attacks came as part of a series of unknown rockets targeting the airport, in addition to the military bases.

It is noteworthy that the launched investigation is the second of its kind in under a week.

The latest rocket attack is believed to be directed by an armed faction seeking to take over the airport and expel the currently present British security service “G4S.”

“The militias' insistence on bombing the airport is primarily aimed at expelling the British security protection company "G4S" to acquire the airport protection contract through its affiliated subsidiaries,” a well-informed source at the Baghdad International Airport told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Last week, the militia faction deliberately bombed the company's headquarters to pressure it into terminating the existing protection contract,” the source added.

They also pointed out to Iran-backed armed factions launching an organized defamation campaign against G4S, which runs a publicly clean record since taking over security at the airport some 15 years ago.

Last Thursday, a similar attack targeted the G4S building at the airport. It resulted in severe damage.



Arab League to Convene Emergency Meeting to Address Israeli Threats Against Iraq

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
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Arab League to Convene Emergency Meeting to Address Israeli Threats Against Iraq

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)

The permanent delegates to the Arab League will convene an extraordinary session on Sunday, chaired by Yemen, in response to a request from Iraq.

Arab League Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Hossam Zaki said on Saturday that the meeting will focus on a memo from the UN Security Council president, which contains the Israeli occupation's claims of increased attacks from Iraqi territory since September, SPA reported.

"The General Secretariat of the Arab League received Iraq's request to hold an extraordinary session of the Arab League Council.”

“The request was circulated among member states for consultation, and it was agreed to hold the meeting tomorrow at the General Secretariat," Zaki said, adding that several Arab countries have expressed support for Iraq's initiative.