Joint Operations Command investigates drone that fell near speaker’s guesthouse

ANBAR — Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said Saturday it has opened an investigation after a small drone fell near the guesthouse of Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi in Karma district of Anbar governorate, saying the aircraft carried no explosives and caused no major damage.

The command said that at 4 p.m. “a very small drone fell at a distance from the guesthouse of the speaker of parliament, in Karma district in Anbar governorate, on the bank of one of the drainage channels, causing a fire in the weeds without any major damage.” Citing technical intelligence work, it said the drone carried no explosive materials, had a range of no more than 750 meters and was prone to burning quickly in high temperatures. Security, intelligence and forensic teams have begun the investigation.

The clarification followed political condemnations describing the incident as an attack on al-Halbousi’s guesthouse. Lawmaker Alia Nassif called it “a dangerous precedent” and urged a swift, transparent investigation. Ahmed Mazhar, head of the Taqaddum parliamentary bloc, condemned a “criminal act” by “orphans of chaos and dark agendas,” saying those behind it sought to disrupt Iraq’s security and target state authority, but insisted such attempts would not derail efforts to strengthen security and state institutions in Anbar.

A video circulated earlier showed drone wreckage in Karma that residents said belonged to the aircraft involved.