ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The US Embassy on Friday accused “Iran-aligned militia groups" of initiating an attack on their diplomatic facilities in the Iraqi capital city Baghdad days before, calling on the Iraqi government to protect diplomatic missions and their military personnel.  

 

“On Tuesday, September 10, the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Compound, a U.S. diplomatic facility, was attacked. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties,” the embassy said. “Indications are the attack was initiated by Iran-aligned militia groups, which operate freely in Iraq." 

 

At approximately 11 pm local time on Tuesday, an explosion was heard inside Baghdad International Airport, according to the Iraqi Security Media Cell. The explosion occurred in the section of the airport used by US-led Global Coalition advisors. 

 

Iraqi security forces were unable to determine the nature or cause of the explosion at the time, and no group has claimed responsibility yet. 

 

The attack immediately drew attention due to its timing, coinciding with a high-profile visit by the Iranian president to Baghdad. 

 

Jaafar Al-Husseini, spokesperson for Kataib Hezbollah, a pro-Iran militia group, suggested in a post on “X” that the attack was carried out by “suspicious hands” aiming to disrupt the diplomatic visit. Husseini also urged Iraq’s security services to investigate and reveal those responsible for the incident.

 

The US Embassy called on the Iraqi government “as we have done on many occasions, to protect diplomatic and Coalition partner personnel and facilities.”

 

“We reiterate that we reserve the right to self-defense and to protect our personnel anywhere in the world," it warned. 

 

The anti-ISIS global coalition and US forces have come under numerous drone and rocket attacks by Iran-aligned groups operating in Iraq over what they claim Washington’s support for Israel in the war on Gaza.

 

The most recent attacks on the US diplomatic facilities come at a time when Baghdad and Washington are engaged in talks to wind down the US-led counter-ISIS coalition’s mission in Iraq, seven years after the ultimate territorial defeat of the extremist group in the country.