Iraq clarifies US team's entry into Najaf airport
The US team was preparing for an upcoming US official's visit to the province according to Al-Araji, who dismissed claims that the incident was linked to the rescue of an Israeli hostage.
Al-Araji's media office released a statement saying, "The flight was authorized by the Joint Operations Command, a standard procedure for official delegations to ensure efficiency and adherence to schedules."
Addressing speculation about a failed attempt to smuggle a kidnapped Israeli national, Al-Araji rejected the claims as "weak in credibility and content." He added, "If this had been a rescue operation, why prevent the smuggling instead of capturing the perpetrators and freeing the hostage? If the US had such capabilities, they would have either waited for takeoff or intervened directly."
Conflicting Accounts
While Al-Araji downplayed the situation, security reports provided a different account of the events at the airport.
According to a security source on February 24, Iraqi security forces blocked a US delegation from entering Najaf province via the airport without proper authorization.
The source reported that eight black-tinted SUVs carrying armed US personnel in bulletproof vests entered the airport without prior coordination, conducting unauthorized searches with specialized cameras inside the terminal.
Additionally, two Black Hawk helicopters landed at the airport, carrying a US Embassy official in Baghdad along with armed personnel. The delegation reportedly aimed to visit the province without disclosing the official's identity.
However, upon attempting to proceed, Iraqi customs and security personnel intercepted the US team, demanding they surrender their weapons and present official authorization. After refusing to comply, the US personnel were forced to return to their helicopters and depart.
Speculation about a possible link to an Israeli hostage rescue operation stems from a previous case, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed in July 2023 that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Russian-Israeli citizen who disappeared in Iraq months earlier, was being held by Kataib Hezbollah. However, there is no confirmed connection between her case and the recent events at Najaf airport.
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