(Radio Farda) Several blasts hit a weapons depot held by Iraqi Shi'ite paramilitaries next to Balad air base north of Baghdad on Tuesday, an Iraqi military official said. In recent weeks, mysterious attacks have hit weapons depots, bases or positions belonging to Shi'ite Muslim paramilitary groups supported and supplied by Iran. Witnesses said the explosions caused stored rockets to fly into nearby orchards and into Balad base itself. Last week, a blast at a weapons depot run by a paramilitary group sent rockets careening across southern Baghdad. Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi ordered all ammunition dumps to be moved outside of cities. He also cancelled all special flight permissions for foreign aircraft. Sorties by the U.S.-led coalition operating against Islamic State militants must be cleared in advance by the prime minister.
2019-08-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive