ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A drone attack against an Iraqi military air base was foiled early Saturday, according to Iraq's Security Media Cell. "In early Saturday, three drones approached the southern perimeter of Balad Air Base in Salahadin province," read a statement from the Cell, reported state media. “The drones were seen with the naked eye by the force charged with protecting the outer towers, making sure that they were enemy planes.” The Cell added that the three drones flew away after being fired at by the Iraqi forces. The US has previously announced that the air base no longer houses its troops. “Balad is an Iraqi base. There are no US or coalition troops assigned there. There is a private US company that does have contractors working there,” Pentagon press secretary John F. Kirby said in May 2021. The base has previously been subject to frequent rocket attacks. Attacks on Iraqi bases, especially those hosting US troops, have increased since the US assassination of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad in January 2020. The attacks have been mostly blamed on pro-Iran militia groups. The US-led global coalition against the Islmaic State (ISIS) said earlier this month that they foiled a drone attack against Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province.
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