By ABC News
(WASHINGTON) — A U.S. service member and several American contractors were injured in a rocket attack near Iraq’s Erbil International Airport on Monday, according to a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
One non-American, civilian contractor was killed, according to initial reports of the attack.
A statement from the Ministry of the Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government said a number of rockets were launched toward the city of Erbil and landed on several sites at 9:30 p.m. local time. Three missiles fell near Erbil International Airport, a source at Iraq’s Ministry of Interior confirmed to ABC News.
“We are outraged by today’s rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,” Blinken said in his statement.
“We express our condolences to the loved ones of the civilian contractor killed in this attack, and to the innocent Iraqi people and their families who are suffering these ruthless acts of violence,” the statement continued.
Blinken’s statement did not say who was behind the attack or throw blame on Iran, but a Shite militia group has claimed responsibility, according to SITE Intel.
The U.S. secretary of state also confirmed he called the prime minister of Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, to pledge U.S. support.
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