High-level Iraqi security sources reported that the US diplomatic support center within the Baghdad International Airport complex was subjected to a violent attack using three suicide drones. The sources stated that the attack occurred last Wednesday, with one of the drones falling very close, no more than 50 meters, from a diplomatic team on a sensitive logistical mission.
The targeted diplomatic team was accompanying American journalist Shelley Kittleson, who was recently released after being kidnapped for a full week. The transfer operation was part of strict security arrangements aimed at securing her departure from Iraqi territory immediately after she was handed over by local authorities, who in turn received her from the abducting party.
In a related context, the US State Department announced the summoning of the Iraqi ambassador in Washington to lodge a strong official protest against what it described as 'heinous terrorist attacks.' Washington accused Iran-backed armed factions of carrying out an ambush against its diplomats on April 8, considering these actions to undermine security stability in the region.
Details indicate that journalist Kittleson was initially transferred to the US Embassy in Baghdad, and then moved on Wednesday morning to the diplomatic support center via a specialized ambulance plane. The transfer operation was accompanied by two air protection aircraft, as she was scheduled to board a military cargo plane to leave the country before the sudden drone attack occurred.
The aerial bombardment caused a state of alert within the airport, leading to the postponement of the journalist's departure for several continuous hours. Sources confirmed that the additional security measures taken after the incident enabled the team to successfully complete the evacuation, with Kittleson safely leaving Iraq after the field situation stabilized.
This field escalation comes at a sensitive time, as factions under the banner of the 'Islamic Resistance in Iraq' had previously announced a suspension of their operations against US interests. This de-escalation was supposed to last for two weeks, coinciding with regional understandings between Washington and Tehran, but the recent attack violated this announcement.
For its part, the US Embassy in Baghdad warned its citizens of the possibility of additional attacks in the diplomatic vicinity and Baghdad International Airport. The embassy indicated that armed factions carried out several drone attacks just hours after the alleged de-escalation announcement, reflecting the fragility of the commitments declared by these groups.
The past period has witnessed a series of missile and drone attacks targeting the US Embassy and the diplomatic support center, especially following the military tensions that erupted last February. Washington and Baghdad exchange accusations regarding shortcomings in protecting missions, with the United States pushing for more stringent security measures to prevent the recurrence of these incidents.
Despite the Iraqi government's announcement of its full commitment to protecting diplomatic missions and intensifying security cooperation with the American side since late March, the field reality still witnesses major breaches. The recent attack on Baghdad Airport highlights the serious challenges faced by authorities in controlling uncontrolled weapons and ensuring the security of foreign diplomats.
One of the drones fell less than 50 meters from the US diplomatic team accompanying journalist Shelley Kittleson in preparation for her departure from Iraq.
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US diplomatic team survives drone attack at Baghdad airport during evacuation of kidnapped journalist