Two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have attacked a US military base in Iraqi Kurdistan, according to Al Mayadeen TV channel. The Islamic Resistance of Iraq movement, which includes fighters from Shiite armed groups that previously fought against terrorists from the Islamic State group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
No details have been provided about the consequences of the attack. The American base is located at the Harir military airfield in the vicinity of the administrative center of Erbil (425 km from Baghdad).
This is the latest in a series of attacks on US targets in Iraq in recent months. In July, a rocket attack on a US base in Kirkuk killed one American contractor and wounded several others. In August, a drone attack on the US embassy in Baghdad caused minor damage.
The attacks are seen as a sign of the growing strength of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. These militias have been blamed for a number of attacks on US and allied forces in recent years.
The US has responded to the attacks by carrying out airstrikes against Iranian-backed militia positions in Iraq and Syria. However, the attacks have not deterred the militias from continuing their attacks.
The ongoing conflict between the US and Iranian-backed militias in Iraq is a major security concern for the Iraqi government. The government is struggling to assert its authority over the militias, and the conflict is likely to continue to destabilize the country.
