Iraqi forces identify launch area of drones targeting PM's residence: TV report

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Baghdad, Nov 8 (IANS) The Iraqi security forces have identified the launch area of drones that targeted the residence of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Green Zone, the official television reported.

"The two drones which attacked the Prime Minister's house were launched from an area located 12 km northeast of Baghdad," Yahia Rasoul, Spokesperson of the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi forces, told the state-run Iraqiya channe.

The two drones flew at a low altitude to prevent them from being discovered by radars, Rasoul said, adding "the terrorist assassination attempt was carefully planned."

Before Sunday early morning, al-Kadhimi escaped unharmed from an armed drone assassination attempt on his residence in the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses some of the main offices of the Iraqi government and foreign embassies, Xinhua news agency reported.

The assassination attempt came amid protests by followers of political parties rejecting October's election results.

On Friday, the protests escalated into a clash with the security forces at the entrances of the Green Zone, killing two protesters and wounding dozens of security members and protesters.

In the Parliamentary elections on October 10, the Sadrist Movement, led by prominent Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, took the lead with more than 70 seats, while the al-Fatah (Conquest) Coalition, which includes some of the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, garnered 17 seats compared with 47 in the 2018 elections.

Political parties questioning the results said the elections were manipulated and that they would not accept the "fabricated results."

Followers of the political parties rejecting the election results took to the streets in many Iraqi cities, including the capital Baghdad.

--IANS

int/khz/