The United States strongly condemned the assassination attempt against Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, which targeted his residence in the Green Zone in central Baghdad with a drone carrying explosives early on Sunday morning. The U.S. described this attack as a "clear act of terrorism." U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated in a press release, "We were relieved to learn that the Iraqi Prime Minister was unharmed. This clear act of terrorism, which we strongly condemn, targeted the essence of the state," according to AFP. He also added, "We are in close contact with Iraqi security forces keen on maintaining Iraq's sovereignty and independence, and we have offered assistance in investigating this attack."
Severe Political Tensions
It is noteworthy that the attack, which resulted in minor injuries among Al-Kadhimi's security detail according to a security source, occurred during a time of severe political tensions in the country following the results of the early parliamentary elections held on October 10, 2021. Pro-Iran factions and political groups representing Popular Mobilization Forces have rejected the preliminary results, which showed a significant decrease in their seats. This attempt came after the Green Zone, which houses several Iraqi institutions as well as multiple embassies and consulates, including the U.S. Embassy, witnessed protests and sit-ins over the past two weeks. These demonstrations have resumed in recent days from supporters of pro-Iran factions opposing the election results. Clashes with security forces escalated on Friday, resulting in at least one protester being killed.
