Two rockets struck the military section of northern Iraq’s Kirkuk airport late Monday, according to a senior security official. A third rocket slammed into a residential area.
The official, who asked not to be named, confirmed to AFP, “Two Katyusha rockets fell in the military section of Kirkuk airport.”
The military area of the airport is used by the Iraqi Army, federal police, and the Hashed al-Shaabi, a group of former pro-Iranian fighters now part of Iraq’s official security forces.
A third rocket landed in Kirkuk, damaging a house. “A third rocket struck a house in the Uruba neighborhood,” the official said, adding that no injuries were reported from that strike.
According to Iraq’s INA news agency, one of the rockets fell near the airport runway while another hit a house in the city.
Till now, no group has claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks.
AIRPORT SAYS OPERATIONS UNAFFECTED
Despite reports of rockets hitting near Kirkuk Airport, the airport’s management confirmed that all operations are running as normal, as reported by local medida. In a statement early Tuesday, Kirkuk International Airport said, “Claims of material or human damage to the airport are completely unfounded.”
The administration clarified that the civilian part of the airport — including the runway, infrastructure, and other facilities — was not harmed and is operating without any issues.
Iraq has seen many rocket and drone attacks over the years, often tied to political and military tensions in the region. The country has only recently started to experience a period of relative calm after years of war and instability.
Just last week, hours before a ceasefire ended a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel, unknown drones hit radar systems at military bases in Baghdad and southern Iraq.
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With input from agencies