AP Photo/Susan Walsh
- Mustafa Al-Kadhimi was returning to his Baghdad residence when a drone targeted the location.
- The drone, which was equipped with explosives, caused minor damage and injured several guards.
- Protests have erupted in Baghdad following disputes over October 10 general election results.
As Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi returned to his residence in Baghdad on Sunday, a drone equipped with explosives targeted the home, causing minor damage and wounding a few guards, CNN reported.
"Cowardly rocket and drone attacks don't build homelands and don't build a future," Al-Kadhimi said during a television appearance following the attack, Al Jazeera reported.
-Mustafa Al-Kadhimi مصطفى الكاظمي (@MAKadhimi) November 7, 2021
Although it is still unknown who manned the drone, US officials swiftly condemned the assassination attempt.
"This apparent act of terrorism, which we strongly condemn, was directed at the heart of the Iraqi state. We are in close touch with the Iraqi security forces charged with upholding Iraq's sovereignty and independence and have offered our assistance as they investigate this attack," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a press release.
The attack on Al-Kadhimi and his residence follows deadly protests over the country's October 10 general election, which Iran-backed militias have alleged was fraught with voting and vote-counting irregularities, Al Jazeera reported.
A protest held on Friday by supporters of the Iran-backed militias turned into a violent clash with Iraqi security forces, resulting in several injuries and one death, CNN reported.