Daijiworld Media Network - Baghdad
Baghdad, Mar 17: A fire broke out inside the compound of the United States Embassy Baghdad after the facility was targeted in a drone attack early Tuesday in the Iraqi capital’s heavily fortified Green Zone.
According to a source from the Ministry of Interior (Iraq), two explosive-laden drones landed within the embassy’s perimeter, triggering blasts that ignited a fire visible from outside the complex. The source, who spoke anonymously, said sirens were activated across the compound immediately after the attack.
Reports indicated that the embassy’s defence systems failed to intercept the drones before they reached the facility. There were no immediate reports of casualties, though the fire suggested that parts of the compound suffered material damage.
The embassy reportedly faced several rounds of attacks from Monday evening into the early hours of Tuesday. Footage circulating online showed a drone exploding just a short distance from the compound, suggesting that multiple drones may have penetrated the facility’s defensive systems during the same night.
The embassy is located in Baghdad’s heavily secured Green Zone, a central district that houses key Iraqi government institutions, including the Council of Representatives of Iraq, along with numerous foreign diplomatic missions. Despite its strong fortifications, the area has frequently been targeted by rocket and mortar attacks over the past few years.
In a separate incident late Monday, two drones also targeted the Majnoon Oil Field in southern Iraq, according to the Ministry of Oil (Iraq).
Oil ministry spokesperson Saheb Bazoun said one drone struck a telecommunications tower but did not cause significant damage. Another drone reportedly targeted offices belonging to a US company operating at the oil field, a security official confirmed.
Earlier the same day, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an Iraqi paramilitary organisation, reported that six of its members were killed and four others injured in an Israeli strike in the western province of Anbar Governorate.
According to a PMF statement, the strike hit a checkpoint in the town of Al-Qaim near the Syrian border. The group described the location as an official security position and said the casualties occurred while the personnel were carrying out duties related to protecting the country’s territory and sovereignty.