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US "outraged" by rocket attack in Iraq's Erbil, says Blinken

February 16, 2021

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said late Monday that the United States was "outraged" by a rocket attack in Iraq's Erbil earlier in the day, which caused casualties.

"We are outraged by today's rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region," Blinken said in a statement.

According to the statement, the attack killed one civilian contractor and injured several members of the US-led coalition, including one service member and several contractors.

"I have reached out to Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to discuss the incident and to pledge our support for all efforts to investigate and hold accountable those responsible," he said.

The regional Ministry of Interior said in a brief statement that several rockets were fired at several areas in Erbil at 9:30 pm (1830 GMT) Monday, injuring several civilians.

Another statement by the media office of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, also Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi forces, said that al-Kadhimi ordered a joint investigation with the Kurdish regional authorities into the rocket attack.

There are approximately 2,500 US troops in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against remnants of the Islamic State, mainly for training and advisory purposes.