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ERBIL: Air defences were activated as several explosions were heard on Wednesday near the US consulate in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region.
Journalists reported seeing several drones hovering over Erbil, before being hit by air defences, resulting in explosions and visible smoke near the consulate, which was a target of repeated drone and rocket attacks during the Middle East war.
These are the first reported blasts near the consulate in Erbil since a fragile ceasefire began in April.
They coincide with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s one-week visit to Washington, where he met President Donald Trump, and also come against the backdrop of renewed military escalation between the United States and Iran.
