ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Italian base in the Kurdistan Region was struck by a missile in an overnight attack, Rome’s defense minister reported Thursday, noting that there were no casualties.
In a statement on X, the Italian defense ministry quoted Defense Minister Guido Crosetto as saying, “A missile hit our base in Erbil. There are no casualties or injuries among the Italian personnel.”
For his part, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed in a statement on X, his “firm condemnation of the attack against the Italian base in Erbil,” noting that he spoke with his country’s ambassador to Iraq who confirmed that “our soldiers are all well and safe in the bunker.
“I offer them my solidarity and gratitude for their daily service to our country,” Tajani concluded.
Italy currently maintains a contingent of approximately 300 troops stationed in Erbil, where they train Kurdish security forces as part of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS), according to the Italian defense ministry website.