Iraq: Rockets target Baghdad airport for second time in a week 

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi yesterday ordered an investigation into a recent missile attack on Baghdad International Airport.

“Under the direction of the Prime Minister, the Joint Operations Command is opening an investigation to determine the party responsible for firing three Katyusha rockets at Baghdad International Airport,” the military’s Security Media Cell said in a statement.

The Ministry of Defence said on Sunday that three Katyusha missiles were fired at Baghdad airport “for the second time in a week.” The ministry added that the rockets were launched from “the Zaytoun area in the Abu Ghraib district”, west of the capital. Noone has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

In addition to Baghdad airport, the  so-called “Green Zone,” which includes the American embassy compound and a number of military bases hosting international coalition forces, was similarly attacked recently. Such attacks have increased since the US assassinated Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani in a drone attack near Baghdad airport at the start of the year.

Following the American attack, armed Shia factions vowed to target US bases if they did not withdraw from the country “in compliance with a parliamentary decision to end the American military presence in Iraq.”

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