Iraq sacks Maysan operations commander after drone attack on Saudi pipeline
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani dismissed Maysan province's Operations Commander Jalil Sharifi after investigators traced drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's East-West Crude Oil Pipeline to the province.
RastinewsIraq's Prime Ministry Press Office announced that investigations have confirmed the latest drone attacks on Saudi Arabia were launched from Iraqi territory, and that an army commander in Maysan province has been dismissed as a result.
Dismissal order targets Maysan
According to a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Armed Forces General Command spokesman Sabah al-Numan said Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani dismissed Maysan's Operations Commander Jalil Sharifi after it was confirmed that the attacks on Saudi Arabia had been carried out from a location within the province's borders. Sudani also ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the Maysan Operations Command.
The target hit was Saudi Arabia's East-West Crude Oil Pipeline, which runs through the Riyadh and Medina regions. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said the pipeline had been struck by a number of drones traced to Iraqi territory, but gave no further details on who was behind the attack.
Baghdad: our territory will not be a base
In a separate statement, the Iraqi Prime Ministry's office condemned the attacks launched from Iraqi soil against Saudi Arabia. "The Iraqi government once again affirms that its territory and airspace will not be used as a base for attacks against any country," the statement said. It added that an urgent investigation had been opened to identify those responsible for the attack.
Diplomatic channel also activated
Alongside its military steps, Baghdad stepped up diplomatic contacts. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein spoke by phone with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, to discuss the latest developments in the region. The two ministers underlined the importance of maintaining relations between their countries.
As of this report, Saudi Arabia had issued no statement on any retaliation for the attack.
The Maysan Operations Command had served as the joint security body coordinating the work of security forces in the province.