Iraq says it has dismantled a network that was planning drone attacks against unspecified targets, in a move that comes amid growing regional concerns over attacks allegedly launched from Iraqi territory.
Government spokesman Haider al-Abboudi said a joint operation involving Iraq’s counterterrorism and national intelligence services infiltrated the network and raided locations linked to its members, Al Jazeera reported.
The operation resulted in the arrest of members of the network and the seizure of equipment, including drones, according to a government statement.
Al-Abboudi said the group had been planning to carry out attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles against specific targets, but that the plan was thwarted before the attacks could take place.
The government did not disclose the identities of those arrested or identify the intended targets.
The announcement comes after Iraq’s regional government in the north and several Gulf countries recently reported drone attacks that they have attributed to Iran-aligned armed groups operating from Iraq.
Iraq has sought to distance itself from such attacks and has pledged to prevent its territory from being used to threaten neighboring countries.
Sabah al-Nu’man, spokesman for the commander-in-chief of Iraq’s armed forces, said Friday that Baghdad would not allow Iraqi territory to be used as a platform for threatening neighboring states.
The latest operation signals an effort by Iraqi authorities to crack down on suspected drone networks as Baghdad faces increasing pressure to prevent armed groups from using the country as a launchpad for attacks across the region.