Iraqi Church and Arab world condemn Iranian attack on Erbil

Reports of four Mossad agents killed and seven others wounded. The Chaldean Patriarchate proposes "dialogue" to resolve disputes and the urgency of a "national government". The Arab League and the Gulf monarchies speak of a "terrorist attack" at the hands of Iran. Haaretz writes of a "secret war" between Iran and Israel thathas become "public" because of drones. 

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - From the Chaldean Patriarchate to the Arab world, there is unanimous condemnation of the Iranian attack on Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan, where between March 12-13 at least 12 ballistic missiles rained down on the US consulate.

According to some sources, the target of the Guardians of the Revolution (the Iranian Pasdaran) was an Israeli "strategic centre", a "prime" facility used by the Mossad and not a secondary element as reported in the hours following the launch. Some "authoritative witnesses", reported by the pan-Arab broadcaster al-Mayadeen, say that "four Israeli officials" died, while seven others "were wounded, four of them in critical condition". 

Among those expressing concern and condemnation for the attack in Iraqi Kurdistan, a relatively quieter area compared to the rest of the country although there have been episodes of violence in the past, is the Iraqi Church. The rockets, says a note from the Chaldean Patriarchate sent to AsiaNews, "terrorized" civilians and caused "material damage" to the homes of "some citizens". Problems and disputes must be addressed with "civil dialogue" for a better future for all and not "through catastrophic weapons". 

Addressing the community, the Church leaders called for calm and to "close ranks", joining efforts to "accelerate the formation of a national government" that would be able to guarantee unity and "preserve the security of citizens". This urgency is even more evident now that Baghdad "has resumed relations with many countries", especially in the area, with the hope that "wars can be avoided and peace and stability in the world can be achieved", from Iraq to Ukraine where the Russian offensive is underway with its victims and devastation. 

In recent hours, several Arab nations - from Egypt to Jordan, from Bahrain to Yemen - have condemned Tehran for the attack in Erbil. Amman's diplomacy speaks of a "terrorist attack", while the Egyptian Foreign Ministry condemns "in the strongest terms" an operation that has endangered the country's security. Nayef Al-Hajraf, secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), also uses the definition of "terrorism", while his counterpart in the Arab League, Ahmed Abuol-Gheit, confirms his "full support" for Baghdad's efforts to tackle "criminal acts" that undermine "the stability and security of Iraq". 

With regard to the attack, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi announced the opening of an investigation to shed light on those responsible. Meanwhile, the Iraqi news website Sabereen News reports that two Mossad centres were hit by Iranian rockets. Al-Mayadeen adds that the base, located in Masif-Saladin street, was "completely razed to the ground" and several elements were "killed or wounded in the precision attack".

The headquarters was reportedly used in the past for "intelligence and offensive" operations against "Iranian targets". The last one was on 14 February, when six drones from the base in the heart of Iraqi Kurdistan hit an Iranian training centre in Kermanshah, causing "significant losses". The Israeli daily Haaretz, in an in-depth article published today, speaks of a "secret war" between Israel and Iran, which "became public" with the "launch of missiles over Iraq".