Erbil – A civilian contractor was killed and five others, including a U.S. service member, were wounded in a rocket attack on a U.S.-led military base in Kurdish northern Iraq on Monday, the U.S. coalition said in Iraq.
It was the deadliest attack on a U.S.-led force in Iraq for nearly a year, raising tensions between the U.S. military, its Iraqi and Kurdish allies on the one hand, and Iran-allied forces on the other.
“We are outraged by today’s rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan region,” US Secretary of State Anthony Blink said in a statement on Monday night. “We extend our heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of the civilian contractor killed in the attack and to the innocent Iraqis and their families who have been victims of this heinous act of violence. I have reached out to the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masour Barzani And a pledge of our support for all efforts to investigate.
A coalition spokesman said on Twitter that the attack took place on coalition forces in the Kurdish regional capital, Erbil.
Kurdish security sources said at least three rockets landed near the autonomous region of Erbil International Airport late at night. Reuters reporters heard several loud explosions and watched the fire near the airport.
American troops have captured a military base next to a civilian airport.
A statement from the Kurdish Interior Ministry said that several rockets were fired at Arbil and its environs around 9.30pm local time and some people were injured, but gave no further details.
One British and two American workers were killed in March last year in the last deadly attack targeting the coalition.
Abigail Williams Contributed.
