Armed drones attacked Erbil International Airport (EBL) on September 11, 2021. The airport, which is in a northern city in Iraq, lies near the US consulate, and is also the base for a coalition force of anti-jihadist troops led by the United States.
The airport’s director, Ahmed Hochiar, confirms that the airport suffered no damage.
Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto confirmed via Twitter that two UAS (Unmanned aircraft systems) attacked Erbil International Airport at approximately 23:43 local time on September 11,2021. Marotto also confirmed that there are no injuries or property damage.
.@CJTFOIR can confirm at approx. 2343hrs Sept.11 @Coalition forces at Erbil AB were attacked by 2 UAS. Force protection counter measures were used to defeat the drones. 1 UAS impacted inside perimeter; 1 UAS impacted outside perimeter. There are no injuries or property damage.
— OIR Spokesman Col. Wayne Marotto (@OIRSpox) September 12, 2021
“Each attack against the GoI, KRI and the Coalition undermines the authority of Iraqi institutions, the rule of law and Iraqi National sovereignty,” Marotto continued via Twitter. “These attacks endanger the lives of civilians and the partner forces from the ISF, Peshmerga and Coalition.”
The two drones were later shot down by U.S. troops using a counter-rocket, artillery and mortar system (C-RAM), a separate U.S. official told Fox News.
Lawk Ghafuri, head of Kurdistan foreign media relations, also confirms that Erbil International Airport was attacked by a drone (later found to be a pair), and that no casualties have been reported.
#Erbil International Airport has been attacked with a drone tonight, no casualties reported and no further information is available until now, and finally the security forces are investigating the incident and more info will come in coming hours.
— Lawk Ghafuri (@LawkGhafuri) September 11, 2021
Attacks of similar kind, normally targeting US troops or US interests in Iraq, have become common in the past months.
Roughly 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq, with an additional 900 troops in neighboring Syria, as safekeeping efforts to ensure the remnants of ISIS stay underground.