Baghdad, IRAQ : A pre-dawn US airstrike outside Baghdad airport today, killed six including Major General Qassem Soleimani – the head of Iran’s elite al-Quds force and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
In what appeared to be targeted attacks, the rockets destroyed two vehicles carrying “high-profile guests”, who had arrived at the airport and were being escorted by militia security forces.
Residents around the area told media that they could hear the sounds of sirens and helicopters in the air, following the attack.
The attack comes amid tensions between Iraq and US, after an Iran-backed militia and other protesters breached the US Embassy in Baghdad on New Year’s eve. The attack was in response to a deadly US airstrike that killed 25 militia forces.
The area of today’s incident has been cordoned off, but the international airport remains in operation.
