Iraq: Rockets land near military airbase housing US contractors

On April 4, a pair of rockets landed near an Iraqi airbase where several American trainers were present. Speaking to the Associated Press, Major General Tahseen al-Khafaji revealed that the assault took place just after midday outside Balad airbase. Aerial attacks against US military bases in Iraq have seen a surge in the past few weeks, raising concerns about a new era of hostilities and frozen relationship. 

Under the Presidency of Barack Obama in 2011, the US withdrew its troops from the middle eastern country but reinstated them again in 2014. Last year, the troop levels were reduced to 2,500 after withdrawals based on then President Trump’s orders. However,  the killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader in January 2020, have rekindled calls for an increased withdrawal. 

Amidst rising friction between Baghdad and Washington, assaults have seen a spike. Last month, a similar attack, which involved 10 rockets hitting a base in western Iraq led to the killing of at least one American contractor. In late February, Washington ordered strikes against Iran-aligned militia targets along the Iraq-Syria border. 

Peace talks

Meanwhile, the Joe Biden administration will be resuming strategic talks with Iraqi officials April 7 on the withdrawal of the remaining US combat forces in the country. These talks will be the first under Biden. The discussions are expected to shape the future of the US-Iraq relationship. Also, the topics will include security, trade, climate and more. 

According to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the US will be using the meetings as a means to clarify that coalition forces remain in the country “at the invitation of the Iraqi government and solely for the purpose of training and advising Iraqi forces” and to ensure that the terror group ISIS “cannot reconstitute”. As per the Iraqi officials, Iraq had sent a formal request to Biden’s administration for a date to resume strategic talks on bilateral relations. 

Both the countries launched the talks in June 2020. The talks began online due to the coronavirus and were expected to go on for several months. The relations have improved since new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi took over the helm of Iraq’s government. He marked a new chapter in Iraq-US relations. 

(Representative/ Image Credits, Inputs: AP)