A massive explosion rocked the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region on Friday evening, after which a column of smoke began to rise from one of the nearby hotels. AFP reported, TASR writes.
A source quoted by the Kurdish media agency Rudaw said that “the drone attack was aimed at the city of Arbil, but the drone was destroyed in flight and its debris fell in the space between the Rotana Arjaan Hotel and the (high-rise building) Sky Towers. No injuries were reported.’
The United States had warned for some time before this attack that Iranian-backed militants could attack hotels in Iraqi Kurdistan frequented by foreigners. Therefore, Washington again called on the Americans to leave the area.
“U.S. citizens are strongly advised to leave as soon as it is safe to do so and to reevaluate their accommodation options if they choose not to leave,” the US Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement.
As part of the armed conflict that broke out on February 28 with a series of coordinated Israeli-American attacks on Iran, the Iranian military is attacking American interests in the region. It has also stepped up attacks on exile groups of Iranian Kurds after reports appeared in the media that US President Donald Trump wants to involve Kurdish units in the fight against Iran.
In this context, there has been speculation that Trump wants the exiled Iranian Kurds to join the war against Iran by sending their ground troops. The White House has denied claims that Trump is considering arming them.
