Drone explodes near Erbil airport in yet another attack

ERBIL — A suspected explosive drone detonated early Monday near Erbil International Airport, the latest in a series of aerial attacks targeting the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdistan Counter-Terrorism Directorate – Erbil said the device exploded at 2:20 a.m. local time near the village of Gazna. “A bomb-laden drone crashed and exploded near Erbil International Airport. Fortunately, there were no casualties or material damage,” the directorate said in a statement.

Residents reported hearing loud blasts. “We were asleep when we were startled by a loud explosion. It sounded like a missile. We saw a fireball falling from the sky near the airport,” said Akam Abdullah, a local resident. Videos shared online appeared to show flaming debris falling and detonating near the area. No group has claimed responsibility.

Images circulated on social media showed remnants of the drone without visible markings or serial numbers.

The incident follows a similar attack on July 4 near the airport, which also resulted in no injuries. After that strike, the Kurdistan Regional Government blamed factions linked to the Popular Mobilization Forces, accusing them of trying to destabilize the region. “These attacks are carried out by groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces under the pretext of creating chaos,” the KRG said in a statement at the time. It is the latest in a string of attacks in the Kurdistan Region and northern Iraq.

The KRG also criticized Baghdad for failing to take action, saying, “It is expected from the relevant parties in the federal government that when there is a threat to the Kurdistan Region or any other area of Iraq, they should take appropriate steps to uncover the truth, prevent the recurrence of such threats, and punish those responsible.”

The federal government rejected the accusations. Sabah al-Numan, military spokesperson for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, said, “We call for any such evidence, if it exists, to be submitted to the relevant federal authorities,” adding that “these public accusations only serve to provide an opportunity for those seeking to discredit the Iraqi institutions that defend and protect the nation’s security.”

Although joint investigative committees have been formed, no group has been publicly identified as responsible and no findings have been released from previous incidents.

The KRG reiterated its willingness to cooperate with federal authorities but warned that “political disputes must not interfere with the government’s duty to safeguard lives and sovereignty.”

Qasim al-Araji, Iraq’s national security adviser, visited Erbil last week. “A committee has been formed by order of Sudani to investigate the recent attacks on the Region,” he told reporters on July 10. “The committee has reached reliable findings and the perpetrators will be punished.”

The burned remains of a suspected explosive drone lie on the ground near Erbil International Airport following a pre-dawn detonation on Monday.