DUBAI: Countries around the world on Sunday condemned the attempt to target Iraq’s prime minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi in Baghdad, who survived an assassination attempt with an armed drone.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry said the attack was a “cowardly terrorist act”, Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported.
The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and the Arab League have all issued similar statements condemning the attack on the prime minister.
The US State Department condemned the attack and offered assistance with the investigation. “This apparent act of terrorism, which we strongly condemn, was directed at the heart of the Iraqi state,” spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.
British foreign secretary Liz Truss said in a statement posted on Twitter : “We stand with the Iraqi government, security forces and people in their rejection of political violence and strongly support the Prime Minister’s call for calm and restraint.”
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Nayef Al-Hajraf condemned the attack, saying the bloc considers the security of Iraq as one of the GCC states.
Egypt’s president has also condemned the attempt to assassinate Al-Kadhimi and affirmed his country’s support for Iraq to protect its security and stability. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi called “for calm and restraint” among all the parties involved.
Meanwhile, Iran’s top security official, Ali Shamkhani, condemned on Sunday, calling it “a new sedition.”
“The attempt … is a new sedition that must be traced back to foreign think-tanks,” he said on Twitter, without giving further details.
The Iraqi military said in a statement the attack targeted Kadhimi’s residence and that he was in “good health”. It provided no further detail. Kadhimi’s official Twitter account said the prime minister was safe, and called for calm.
Two government officials said Kadhimi’s residence had been hit by at least one explosion.
(with Reuters)