Iraq PM Survives Drone Attack, Seven Wounded

A drone attack took place on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi’s home on Sunday morning. Kadhimi was unharmed, and seven guards were wounded.

The military is presenting this as an assassination attempt. In the wake of recent elections, Kadhimi was outgoing from the position.  He is calling for calm after the attack.

Baghdad is on alert after this, and several nations have condemned the attack. The US called it an apparent act of terrorism “directed at the Iraqi state.”

The obvious question of who carried out the attack is as yet unanswered. There’s no shortage of factions looking to stir unrest in Iraq, and that might now include blocs unhappy with how the most recent election went.

The Shi’ite militias were dismissive of accusations, and indeed expressed doubt that the attack happened at all. What’s to be gained in that case?

Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr expressed support for a military takeover, aiming to protect his electoral victory. This would be a boost for the military, and a blow to the outgoing government.

The premier’s residence is located in the Green Zone, relatively secure, though less so with exploding drones being sent in to attack targets. This could force Iraq to rethink security.

The most likely culprit would be ISIS, and if this represents a new tactic, it likely won’t be long until they try to hit another high value target.