Four rockets hit Iraq’s largest air base

Baghdad: Four Katyusha rockets on Thursday struck the Balad Air Base, Iraq’s largest military airbase in the north of the capital Baghdad, a local security source said.

The rockets landed at the Balad Air Base in Salahudin province, some 90 km north of Baghdad, causing no human casualties, Col Mohammed al-Bazi from the provincial police told Xinhua.

Three of the rockets hit a building inside the base, leaving minor damages, while the fourth landed in an empty area, al-Bazi said, adding that the rockets were fired from the neighbouring province of Diyala.

Balad Air Base houses Iraq’s F-16 fighters. The US technical team has already withdrawn from the base amid rocket attacks by unidentified militias.

On December 29, 2021, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi confirmed the end of the US-led coalition forces’ combat mission in Iraq.