Erbil, SAEDNEWS, Feb. 15: The United States has said it is “outraged” over a rocket attack outside the international airport in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, on Monday evening in which a civilian contractor was killed and several others injured.
“We are outraged by today’s rocket attack,” Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement.
“Initial reports indicate that the attacks killed one civilian contractor and injured several members of the Coalition, including one American service member and several American contractors.”
Blinken said he had been in touch with Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to discuss the incident and “to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible”.
Coalition spokesperson Wayne Marotto said earlier on Twitter that “indirect fire” had landed on coalition forces in Erbil.
Iraqi and Western security sources told the AFP news agency that at least three rockets were fired in the direction of the city’s airport, near where foreign troops are based as part of an international alliance fighting ISIL (ISIS).
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Monday’s rocket fire.
The airport was reportedly shut down and flights were halted for safety issues (Source: AlJazeera).
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