- US President Joe Biden condemned the drone attack on the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Khadmi.
- Biden said he was “relieved” that Kadmi was not injured, and praised his leadership in responding to the attack.
- The attack used drones loaded with explosives and was described by the Prime Minister’s Office as a “failed assassination attempt.”
WASHINGTON – US President Joe Biden condemned the attack on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Khadmi on Sunday and said his government will help Iraqi security forces identify those responsible.
Biden said in a statement: “I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister Khadmi.”
He said:
I am gratified that the Prime Minister was not injured, and commended him for his leadership in calling for calmness, restraint, and dialogue to protect national institutions and strengthen the democracy that Iraqis deserve.
Earlier on Sunday, a drone full of explosives attacked his residence in Baghdad, and Khadmi was not injured. But the attack marked a significant escalation of turmoil after the elections in the country.
The Prime Minister’s Office described the attack as a “failed assassination attempt,” while Iraqi President Barham Saleh called it a “coup d’etat against the constitutional system.” No group immediately claimed to be on strike.
Biden said, “The perpetrators of terrorist attacks on the Iraqi country must be held accountable” and “we strongly condemn those who use violence to disrupt the democratic process in Iraq.”
The US leader added that he has instructed his national security team to “provide all appropriate assistance to the Iraqi security forces as they investigate the attack and identify those responsible.”
Late Sunday, the U.S. State Department stated that Secretary of State Anthony Brinken had spoken with Khadmi, expressed gratitude to the prime minister’s safety, and reiterated that the U.S.-Iran partnership was “unwavering.”
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement that he “emphasized that this attack is also an attack on the sovereignty and stability of Iraq.”
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