Jan. 31 (UPI) — Kuwait officials have suspended flights into the country for a week after six rockets were fired toward Baghdad International Airport in Iraq.
Kuwait Airways, the national airline, revealed in a statement posted to Twitter that the suspension was issued by the General Administration of Kuwaiti Civil Aviation because of the “current conditions in the Republic of Iraq.”
“You will be informed of the latest developments and instructions issued by the General Administration of Kuwaiti Civil Aviation in this regard,” the statement reads. “Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.”
Six rockets were fired at the U.S. Army’s Victory Base at the airport on Friday, according to local media outlet Iraqi News.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi said in a statement on Twitter that the attack damaged civilian aircraft and an airport runway, “undermining Iraq’s reputation.”
Al-Kadhimi called on countries friendly to Iraq not to place travel restrictions on travel to and from Iraq, which he said would deter terrorism “from achieving its goals.”
Iraqi Airways shared photos to social media of one of its commercial airplanes that had been damaged by one of the rockets.
“Today’s incident, which occurred on the outskirts of Baghdad International Airport, damaged one of the out-of-service aircraft parked in the aircraft cemetery,” the company wrote. “But it did not affect the company’s work and it continues to operate without any hindrance.”
Rocket attacks earlier this month and last month came after Iran-backed militias in Iraq have threatened to attack U.S. troops if they were to remain in Iraq after Dec. 31.
However, Iran condemned the attack in a statement Saturday and said it was an attempt at “disrupting stability in the country.”
“Such suspicious moves would result in insecurity and chaos in Iraq and pave the way for ill-wishers and seditionists and affect the government’s efforts to offer services to Iraqi citizens,” said Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeid Khatibzadeh.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has always supported the establishment and maintenance of security in, the further progress of, the nationwide establishment of security in, and the integrity of Iraq, and backs the Iraqi government’s attempts to establish stability in the country.”
