After avoiding an assassination attempt in Baghdad, Iraq's Prime Minister chairs a meeting.

Officials reported on Sunday that Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi escaped an armed drone murder attempt in Baghdad uninjured, in an episode that heightened tensions in Iraq weeks after a general election contested by Iran-backed militia groups.

In a video released by his office on Sunday, Kadhimi was shown chairing a meeting with top security officers to review the drone assault.

"The heinous terrorist attack on the prime minister's home last night with the intention of assassinating him is a major targeting of the Iraqi state by criminal armed organizations," his office said after the meeting.

Security sources told Reuters that six of Kadhimi's guards were injured outside his apartment in the protected Green Zone.
An interior ministry spokeswoman told state news agency INA that three drones were utilized in the attack, two of which were shot down by security officers and a third of which impacted the property.

The security situation in the Green Zone, which houses the residence, government buildings, and foreign embassies, was stable after the incident, according to a spokesperson for the commander of the armed forces in chief.

No one claimed blame right away.

The attack occurred just two days after confrontations in Baghdad between government forces and supporters of Iran-backed political parties who had lost dozens of parliamentary seats in the general election on Oct. 10. The majority of the political parties have armed wings.

In the aftermath of the skirmishes, Kadhimi ordered an investigation into the fatalities and injuries of demonstrators and security officers.

The incident, according to President Barham Salih, was a horrible act against Iraq. In a tweet, he added, "We cannot accept that Iraq will be driven into chaos and a coup against its constitutional system."

The incident, according to Shi'ite Muslim leader Moqtada al-Sadr, whose party won the most votes in last month's election, was a terrorist strike intended at "returning Iraq to a state of disorder dominated by non-state forces."

The incident was condemned by the US, the UN, Saudi Arabia, and Iran.

Damage to the home

Damage to parts of the mansion, unexploded ordnance on the roof, and a damaged SUV vehicle parked in the garage were all seen in the video given by the prime minister's office.

According to Moqtada al-Sadr, a Shi'ite Muslim leader whose party received the most votes in last month's election, the incident was a terrorist attack aimed at "returning Iraq to a state of disorder ruled by non-state forces."

The United States, the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, and Iran all condemned the incident.

Home deterioration

In a video released by the prime minister's office, damage to parts of the residence, unexploded ordnance on the top, and a damaged SUV vehicle parked in the garage were all visible.

Condemnation by the US

The investigation was promised aid by the United States.

"The terrorists who carried out this attack on the Iraqi government must be held accountable. "Those who use violence to disrupt Iraq's democratic process are to be condemned in the harshest terms," US President Joe Biden said in a statement, complimenting Kadhimi's plea for "calm, moderation, and conversation."

According to his spokesperson, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Iraqis to "display extreme moderation and condemn all violence and any attempts to destabilize Iraq." Gutteres also urged all sides to address issues via discussion.

The attack was described as a "cowardly terrorist crime" by Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry, according to Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV. Ali Shamkhani, Iran's top security officer, slammed the act in a tweet, calling it "a new sedition."

Heavy-armed Iran-backed militias that lost much of their parliamentary influence in the election are leading the protests against the Oct. 10 poll. They have claimed voting and vote-counting irregularities, which Iraqi election officials have dismissed.

On Friday, supporters of the protestors got violent, throwing stones at police in the Green Zone, injuring several officers.

According to security and hospital sources in Baghdad, the police retaliated with tear gas and live shot, killing at least one demonstrator.

Analysts believe the election results represent a backlash against Iran-backed armed organizations, which are accused of killing almost 600 demonstrators in several anti-government demonstrations throughout 2019.

The drone assault was decried by the heads of several political parties, the majority of which have armed wings and are associated with Iran. They called on the government to investigate and punish the perpetrators accountable.