A U.S drone crashed North of Baghdad, after Iran-backed insurgents claimed to have fired on an unmanned aircraft flying over Iraq, a defense official said Friday.
“Iraqi security forces recovered the aircraft.” “An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing,” the spokesperson stated, adding that “no injuries were reported.”
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a loose alliance of Iran-linked armed outfits opposed to US assistance for Israel, claimed to have shot down a US MQ-9 — a type of drone capable of both surveillance and strikes — that had been flying over Iraq the day before.
According to the Pentagon, US and ally forces in Iraq and Syria have been targeted by approximately 140 attacks since mid-October, many of which have been claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, and Washington has launched retaliatory strikes in both countries.
The US strike that killed a pro-Iranian commander on January 4 in central Baghdad enraged the Iraqi government because Washington claimed the commander was involved in attacks against US forces.
The government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, supported by parties associated with Tehran, has demanded the withdrawal of the US-led international coalition fighting the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) from the nation.
Major General Pat Ryder, a spokesman for the Pentagon, stated on Tuesday that although Washington will “continue to consult closely” with the Iraqis, he was “not aware of any official request by the government of Iraq” for the withdrawal of US personnel.
As part of the coalition against ISIS, the US has about 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria.
