An Italian military base in Iraq’s Kurdistan region was hit by a missile on the early morning hours of Thursday causing material damages but leaving no reported injured, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed to local outlets.
Italian authorities have not publicly confirmed if Iran was behind the attack.
“A missile struck our base in Erbil. There are no casualties or injuries among Italian personnel. Everyone is fine. I am being kept constantly updated by the Chief of Defense Staff and the Commander of the Joint Forces Operational Command,” Crosetto said in a brief Defense Ministry statement.
“Strong condemnation of the attack on the Italian base in Erbil. I have just spoken with the Italian Ambassador to Iraq. Fortunately, our soldiers are all well and safe in the bunker. I express my solidarity and gratitude to them for their daily service to their country,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani wrote on social media.
Sky TG24 reports that Tajani said during an interview shortly after the attack that the Italian government must carefully assess what happened before deciding that steps to take.
It is certainly an unacceptable attack, but before saying who is responsible, we must conduct a very thorough investigation,” Tajani reportedly said, and confirmed that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was “immediately informed of the attack in Erbil, and we are monitoring developments in the situation.”
Tajani reportedly said that the Italian government has “no news” of other events, asserting, “we do not know if the attack is over, the Italian soldiers are still safe in the bunker.” The Foreign Minister stressed Italy’s commitment to a “de-escalation” on the situation in the Middle East.
“The Italian base in Erbil is a base within an area that includes other bases from other countries, we do not know if it was directed against the Italians or against that settlement in general,” Tajani said.
Asked about the consequences of the attack, Tajani reportedly pointed out that, for the time being, “it is not clear whether it was an Iranian missile or one from pro-Iranian militias,” but assured that “we know that that part of Kurdistan is under attack and the situation is dangerous.”
The base’s commander, Colonel Stefano Pizzotti, spoke with Sky TG24 on Thursday morning and provided details on the incident. He explained that the base was already on high alert after an air threat alarm was triggered at around 8:30p.m. (local time), prompting the base’s staff to take shelter in the designated bunkers — then, shortly before 1:00a.m. there was “an air threat, still to be ascertained, which struck the Italian base, causing material damage to the infrastructure.”
File/A view of the Italian Army military base inside the Coalition base in Erbil, capital city of Iraqi Kurdistan. At present an Italian commander is in charge of the training that the Coalition forces are giving to the Peshmerga fighters. (GETTY)
“The personnel are fine, everyone is fine. The origin of the threat is still uncertain. Bomb disposal experts are currently on site securing the area, but the alert has been lifted,” Pizzotti reportedly said.
Pizzotti detailed that the Italian military staff stationed at the base is responsible for the training of local Kurdish troops at the request of the autonomous region’s government, and said that the contingent had been reduced shortly before the ongoing crisis began.
Today there are fewer people than there would normally be,” Pizzotti said.
“The morale of the personnel is high, we wanted to reassure the families,” he stressed. “We are prepared and trained for these situations.”
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