The Colorado Springs Gazette final

U.S. shoots down pair of Iranian drones attacking Iraq airport

The U.S. military struck down two Iranian drones attacking the Erbil airport in Kurdish-held Iraq on Saturday, defense officials said.

The late attack on the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11 did not come with any reports of casualties or damage, according to a spokesperson for the U.s.-led coalition in northern Iraq.

“Each attack against the GOI, KRI and the Coalition undermines the authority of Iraqi institutions, the rule of law and Iraqi National sovereignty,” Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto tweeted on Saturday. “These attacks endanger the lives of civilians and the partner forces from the ISF, Peshmerga and Coalition.”

The drones were shot down by the U.S. counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar system, a U.S. official told Fox News.

Some U.S. troops are based at the Erbil airport, which has been subject to recent attacks by Iranian-backed militia groups. In February, one civilian contractor was killed after at least three rockets hit near the military base on Monday in Erbil.

The attack in Iraq marks the first in roughly two months since July 8, when rockets struck in and around the Green Zone in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, home to the U.S. Embassy.

There were some material damages and reported injuries of two U.S. service members.

There are around 2,500 troops remaining in Iraq and roughly 900 troops in neighboring Syria to maintain a security presence against ISIS reformation efforts in the region.

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2021-09-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/281689732937260

The Gazette, Colorado Springs