ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A drone attack in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday sparked a fire near the Barakah nuclear power plant, authorities said, adding that no injuries were reported and there was “no impact on radiological safety levels.”
“Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire incident that broke out in an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, caused by a drone strike,” Abu Dhabi’s media office said, adding that “No injuries were reported, and there was no impact on radiological safety levels.”
No party has claimed responsibility for the attack at the time of writing. Iran has accused the UAE of being complicit in the US-Israel military campaign launched against it since February 28, saying Abu Dhabi provides support to its adversaries. Last week, despite a truce between Washington and Tehran, the UAE was targeted with around two dozen projectiles launched by Iran. Abu Dhabi has said it reserves the right to respond.
It said the country’s nuclear regulatory agency confirmed that the fire “did not affect the safety of the power plant or the readiness of its essential systems, and that all units are operating as normal.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a post that the UAE informed it that emergency diesel generators are supplying power to Unit 3 of the plant. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi expressed concern over the attack, saying “military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable,” according to the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday that Abu Dhabi placed its “military bases, airspace, territory, and facilities at the disposal of the US and Israeli regime, providing all kinds of intelligence and other support” to strike the “Iranian people” as well as allowing “its territory to fire artillery and equipment” against Iran.
The UAE has been a primary target for attacks from Iran and its allied armed groups in the region during the war. Over 2,800 drones and missiles reportedly hit the country before the war was ended through a Pakistani-brokered ceasefire between Washington and Tehran on April 8. However, attacks on Abu Dhabi resumed after the fragile truce, with over two dozen projectiles reported since.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment