Latest news with #ErbilAirport
Gulf Insider
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Drone Attacks On Northern Iraqi Oil Field On The Rise Amid Iran Tensions
On Monday an explosive-laden drone sought to target vital infrastructure in northern Iraq, in an area known to host final remnants of US troops and officials. The US has long been most closely involved with Iraqi Kurdistan. The drone carrying explosives was intercepted and brought down early Monday near Erbil International Airport in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, local officials said. A later, separate nighttime (Monday) attack targeted a key oil field in the region. The region's Directorate General of Counter Terrorism stated that the drone targeting the airport was shot down at 2:20 a.m. local time (2320 GMT on Sunday). While no casualties or property damage resulted, and no group has taken responsibility for the incident so far, it suggests the possibility that Iran-allied Shia paramilitaries could be ready to cause havoc, following the 12-day Israel-Iran war last June, which the US also became involved in through bombing three nuclear facilities. Iraq has seen a rise in drone-related attacks in recent weeks – with for example earlier this month security forces having shot down another explosive drone near Erbil Airport. And recently similar device was intercepted near a Kurdish Peshmerga base in Kirkuk province. This brings up the possibility of anti-Kurdish factions, or even the possibility of remnant ISIS cells. In the night hours of Monday, there are new reports of yet another drone attack in the region, and this time unverified videos suggest that damage has been done (unconfirmed): According to Rudaw English, a Kurdish regional outlet: Two explosive-laden drones target the Khurmala oil field in Erbil province, resulting in no casualties – citing Kurdish counterterrorism units. The oil field lies southwest of Erbil, and reports suggest they were intercepted by US-led coalition forces on Monday night. The area lies about 60 kilometers from Erbil city.
Reuters
04-07-2025
- Reuters
Explosive drone intercepted near Erbil airport in northern Iraq, security statement says
July 3 (Reuters) - An explosive drone was shot down near Erbil airport in northern Iraq on Thursday, the Iraqi Kurdistan's counter-terrorism service said in a statement. There were no casualties reported, according to two security sources. The "Flight operations at the airport continued normally and the airport was not affected by any damage", the Erbil airport authority said in a statement. The incident only caused a temporary delay in the landing of one aircraft, the statement added.
Shafaq News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Explosions heard near Erbil and Kirkuk airports
Shafaq News – Erbil/Kirkuk On Thursday, two explosions were heard near Erbil International Airport, and a drone crashed in southern Kirkuk, according to a security source. Preliminary information indicates an unidentified object fell near the airport. It remains unclear whether it was a drone or a missile. A security source told Shafaq News that the US base at Erbil Airport intercepted and downed two drones west of the city. The directorate announced in a statement a booby-trapped drone was shot down, without causing any human or material damage. In a separate incident, a security source in Kirkuk told Shafaq News that a drone crashed on Airport Street near Badr neighborhood in the southern part of the city. Security forces were dispatched to the site to investigate. Additionally, Spokesperson for Kirkuk International Airport Hardi Al-Salihi confirmed to Shafaq News, 'There have been no attacks on either the civilian or military sections of the airport,' adding that operations are continuing normally without disruption to scheduled flights. The Head of the Turkmen Parliamentary Bloc, Arshad Al-Salihi, told Shafaq News that the ongoing drone and Katyusha rocket attacks on Kirkuk's civil and military airport signal a serious warning about the scale of the security breach in the city. 'What's even more alarming is that no one knows where these drones are being launched from, nor why they are not being detected despite the presence of radars at the military airport,' he added. Al-Salihi also called on urgent and transparent investigation by the relevant authorities to identify the sources of the threat and hold those responsible accountable. Earlier, an unidentified drone carrying two missiles crashed in an open area near the town of Kokez in Diyala.
