SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Eight Iraqi officers have been arrested on charges of negligence in probing an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, a senior official said on Monday.
Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi survived the assassination attempt carried out by drones laden with explosives that targeted his residence in Baghdad on November 7.
Several of his guards were wounded in the attack, according to the Iraqi military.
National Security Advisor Qasem al-Araji said explosive-laden drones were used in the attack on the premier’s residence in Baghdad and that they were locally made.
“One of them targeted the roof of Kadhimi’s house and the other hit his courtyard,” he said in a press conference.
A bomb disposal team and forensic experts were tasked with examining the second drone which failed to explode and was found on the roof of the house, he added.
The teams were then expected to blow up the drone but later revealed they had failed to lift any fingerprints beforehand, he noted.
As a result, a committee investigating the attack decided to detain eight officers, including two generals, Araji said.
A probe into why they failed to carry out their instructions has been launched, he added.
The commission “does not want to accuse anyone or any faction”, Araji said. “But what happened indicates there has been negligence.”
Kadhimi said earlier this month that those who were behind the attack were well-known. But the security advisor said the investigation had not discovered who was behind the attacks.
“The attacks confirm the direct targeting of the prime minister’s life,” Araji said.
The Iraqi official further said the committee had not sought any assistance from “external sides” in the probe.
He, however, said the investigation may seek help if “needed”.
On November 7, U.S. President Joe Biden said he had instructed his national security team to offer assistance to the Iraqi security forces to find perpetrators involved in attacking Kadhimi’s residence.
The attack came amid rising tensions over the results of the parliamentary election on October 10.
