Italian base in Iraqi Kurdistan hit by air strike

ROME – An Italian military base in Iraqi Kurdistan was hit overnight by an air strike though no injuries were reported, the Italian defence officials said on March 12.

The Defence Ministry initially spoke of a missile attack on the Italian base in Erbil, but ministry sources later said it was a drone that had destroyed a military vehicle, possibly by accident.

“There are no casualties or injuries among the Italian personnel. They are all fine,” the ministry said on X shortly after midnight on March 12.

Ministry sources added that the drone may not have been fired at the Italian base intentionally, but rather hit it accidentally after losing altitude.

The commander of the base, Colonel Stefano Pizzotti, told broadcaster Sky TG24 that military staff had been warned of aerial threats and had taken shelter in bunkers hours before the strike.

It was not known where the strike had come from, he said, adding that the air raid alert had finished, but experts were still checking and securing the area.

Italy has around 300 troops in Erbil, working on training Kurdish security forces, the defence ministry said on its website.

However, Col Pizzotti said numbers had recently been reduced because of the danger from the US-Israeli war on Iran. REUTERS