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Iraqi prime minister survives assassination bid with drones

BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early Sunday and officials said he was unharmed. The attack was a major escalation amid tensions sparked by the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last month's parliamentary election results.

Two Iraqi officials told The Associated Press that seven of al-Kadhimi's security guards were injured in the attack with two armed drones which occurred in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone area. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give official statements.

"I am fine and among my people. Thank God," the prime minister tweeted shortly after the attack. He called for calm and restraint, 'œfor the sake of Iraq.'ť

He later appeared on Iraqi television, seated behind a desk in a white shirt, looking calm and composed. 'œCowardly rocket and drone attacks don't build homelands and don't build a future,'ť he said.

In a statement, the government said an explosives-laden drone tried to hit al-Kadhimi's home. Residents of Baghdad heard the sound of an explosion followed by heavy gunfire from the direction of the Green Zone, which houses foreign embassies and government offices.

The statement released by state-run media said security forces were 'œtaking the necessary measures in connection with this failed attempt.'ť

There was no immediate claim for the attack. It comes amid a stand-off between security forces and pro-Iran Shiite militias whose supporters have been camped outside the Green Zone for nearly a month after they rejected the results of Iraq's parliamentary elections in which they lost around two-thirds of their seats.

'œThe assassination attempt is a dramatic escalation, crossing a line in unprecedented fashion that may have violent reverberations,'ť wrote Ranj Alaaldin, a nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, in a post on Twitter.

Protests turned deadly Friday when the demonstrators tried to enter the Green Zone. Security forces used tear gas and live ammunition. There was an exchange of fire in which one protester affiliated with the militias was killed. Dozens of security forces were injured. Al-Khadimi ordered an investigation to determine what sparked the clashes and who violated orders not to open fire.

Some of the leaders of the most powerful militia factions loyal to Iran openly blamed al-Kadhimi for Friday's clashes and the protester's death.

'œThe blood of martyrs is to hold you accountable,'ť said Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, addressing al-Kadhimi at a funeral held for the protester Saturday. 'œThe protesters only had one demand against fraud in elections. Responding like this (with live fire) means you are the first responsible for this fraud.'ť

The funeral was attended by leaders of the mostly Shiite Iran-backed factions who together are known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, or Hashd al-Shaabi in Arabic.

Abu Alaa al-Walae, commander of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, in a tweet apparently addressed to al-Kadhimi that did not name him told him to forget about another term.

Al-Kadhimi, 54, was Iraq's former intelligence chief before becoming prime minister in May last year. He is considered by the militias to be close to the U.S., and has tried to balance between Iraq's alliances with both the U.S. and Iran. Prior to the elections, he hosted several rounds of talks between regional foes Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad in a bid to ease regional tensions.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's national security council, said indirectly in a tweet Sunday that the United States was behind the attack.

The assault on al-Kadhimi "is a new sedition that must be traced back to foreign think tanks, which have brought nothing but insecurity, discord & instability to oppressed Iraqi people through creation & support of terrorist groups & occupation of this country for years,'ť he said.

The U.S. strongly denounced the attack.

'œThis apparent act of terrorism, which we strongly condemn, was directed at the heart of the Iraqi state,'ť said State Department spokesperson Ned Price.

'œWe 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,'ť he added.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi also condemned the assassination attempt. Writing on Facebook, he called on all sides in Iraq to 'œcalm down, renounce violence and join forces to preserve the country's stability.'ť

Saudi Arabia issued a statement of support for stability in Iraq and said it strongly condemned the 'œcowardly terrorist attack that targeted Iraq's prime minister."

The United States, the U.N. Security Council and others have praised the Oct. 10 election, which was mostly violence-free and without major technical glitches.

But following the vote, militia supporters pitched tents near the Green Zone, rejecting the election results and threatening violence unless their demands for a recount were met.

The unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud have cast a shadow over the vote. The standoff with the militia supporters has also increased tensions among rival Shiite factions that could spill into violence and threaten Iraq's newfound relative stability.

The election was held months ahead of schedule in response to mass protests in late 2019, which saw tens of thousands in Baghdad and predominantly Shiite southern provinces rally against endemic corruption, poor services and unemployment. They also protested against the heavy-handed interference of neighboring Iran in Iraq's affairs through Iran-backed militias.

The militias lost some popularity since the 2018 vote, when they made big election gains. Many hold them responsible for suppressing the 2019 protests, and for challenging the state's authority.

The biggest gains were made by influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who won the largest number of parliament seats, 73 out of 329. While he maintains good relations with Iran, al-Sadr publicly opposes external interference in Iraq's affairs.

___

Associated Press writers Jon Gambrell and Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.

Abu Alaa al-Walae, center, commander of Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhadam, takes part in a protest outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, following Friday's deadly scuffles. The protesters reject the results of last month parliamentary elections that saw the pro-Iran militias as the biggest losers. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) The Associated Press
Hadi al-Amiri, center, commander in the Popular Mobilization Forces, and leader of a political movement called "Al-Fateh Alliance" takes part in a protest outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, following Friday's deadly scuffles. The protesters reject the results of last month parliamentary elections that saw the pro-Iran militias as the biggest losers. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) The Associated Press
Security forces close the heavily fortified Green Zone during a protest outside in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, following Friday's deadly scuffles. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) The Associated Press
Security forces prevent protesters denouncing election results from storming the heavily fortified Green Zone during a protest in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, following Friday's deadly scuffles. The protesters reject the results of last month parliamentary elections that saw the pro-Iran militias as the biggest losers. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) The Associated Press
Security forces close the heavily fortified Green Zone during a protest outside the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, following Friday's deadly scuffles. The protesters reject the results of last month parliamentary elections that saw the pro-Iran militias as the biggest losers. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) The Associated Press
People stand amid burned tents outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, following Friday's deadly scuffles. Scuffles Friday between supporters of pro-Iran Shiite militias who had camped outside Baghdad's Green Zone and anti-riot police turned deadly, officials said. (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) The Associated Press
This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office shows the damage of the drone attack at the home of Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early Sunday and officials said he escaped unharmed. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office via AP) The Associated Press
This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office shows the damage of the drone attack at the home of Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early Sunday and officials said he escaped unharmed. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office via AP) The Associated Press
This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office shows the damage caused by the drone attack at the home of Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early Sunday and officials said he escaped unharmed. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office via AP) The Associated Press
This photo released by the Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office shows the damage caused by the drone attack at the home of Iraq's Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with armed drones that targeted his residence early Sunday and officials said he escaped unharmed. (Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office via AP) The Associated Press
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