Iraq: Air Defence system intercepts two drones trying to attack Ayn al Asad

Iraqi Armed Forces, on June 6, said that y have taken down two drones that attempted to attack its Ayn al-As airbase, located in western part of country. According to state-run media outlet INA, drones were intercepted by military’s Air Defense System at 12:30 am Saturday. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for attempted strike.

" air defence system at Ain Al-Ass Air Base in Anbar Governorate, at 0030 on June 6, confronted two drones and managed to shoot m down," INA quoted Iraq’s Security Media Cell as saying.

Ayn al-As airbase is only station that houses foreign troops in Iraq and has been frequently targeted by attacks. However, in lights of a recent parliamentary decision, US has agreed to pull its troops out of Iraqi territory. parliamentary decision was supported by country's PM Mustafa Al-Khimi who touted that potential of armed forces has increased significantly and soon y would not need foreign troops to aid ir defence. 

Second attack in day 

This comes as three civilians were killed and two injured on June 5, after a Turkish missile attacked a UN-supported Kurdish refugee camp in Norrn Iraq. aerial attack came days after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to “clean up” district of Makhmur calling it an “incubator for terrorists” of Qandil, a mountain range noted for being hequarters of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).  “If United Nations does not clean up this district, we will take care of it in our capacity as a UN member state,” Erdogan h said in Ankara earlier this week . 

Ankara, along with Iranian Revolutionary Guards, frequently bombards Qandil ranges as a part of its ongoing conflict with PKK, which seeks foundation of an independent Kurdish state. ditionally, since mid-1990s, it also maintains several military bases in Norrn Iraq pertaining to an agreement inked with now-de Iraqi ruler Sdam Hussain. On or hand, PKK  maintains camps across Norrn Iraq, which it allegedly uses as a base to attack souast Turkey.

File Image: AP