Missiles attack on Baghdad International Airport (social media)

Abbas Al-Ardawi, head of the Iraqi Irtiqa Center for Studies and Research, said that "Akram Mahmoud Rashid Al-Qaisi, the suspect in the recent attack that targeted Baghdad International Airport, is a former wanted man," hinting at a "hidden conflict between certain forces."

Yesterday, Iraqi Security forces arrested a man it calls the "prime suspect" in the rocket attack on the Baghdad International Airport on Friday, at Al-Sarha checkpoint, north of Diyala. As soon as the arrest was made, certain sides circulated information claiming that the suspect was linked to Iraqi Resistance factions.

In this context, Al-Ardawi added said, "It is surprising that Al-Kadhimi linked Al-Qaisi to 'non-state groups', in addition to making ready-made accusations against the Iraqi resistance, whereby he considered that Al-Qaisi is associated with it.” He stressed that "this is a clear attempt aimed at mobilizing the public opinion against the Resistance, but this scenario has failed."

The head of the Iraqi Irtiqa Center considered that "arresting al-Qaisi will thwart any attempts to target the resistance and holds therein a lot of information."

It is worth mentioning that Baghdad International Airport was targeted with 6 missiles on Friday near the runway, resulting in a plane sustaining damages. The source added that "activating the C-RAM anti-missile system stopped a number of missiles and was able to shoot them down."

On the level of official reactions, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, described the targeting of Baghdad International Airport as a "cowardly terrorist act, which revealed the criminals' insistence on undermining the security, obligations, and capabilities of the Iraqi people and endangering their interests."

In the same context, the Secretary-General of Asa'ib Ahl Al-Haq Movement, Qais Khazali, confirmed that "the refusal to target diplomatic missions and airports in Iraq is a matter of consensus among all political forces."