ERBIL — Kurdistan Region’s Counter-Terrorism Unit on Wednesday announced that a man involved in the Erbil rocket attack last month has been arrested.
On February 15, 14 rockets were fired towards Erbil International Airport, killing a foreign contractor working with the Coalition forces, as well as an Iraqi civilian. The attack also left seven others injured, including US service members.
KRG’s Counter-Terrorism unit issued a statement and published the confession of one of the attackers identified as Haider Hamza Abbas Mustafa Bayati, who revealed that the attack was planned and carried out with three other people.
According to the statement, Kurdistan Region shared the intelligence with Iraqi and Coalition partners, which eventually led to the arrest of another perpetrator by the Iraqi forces.
The identity of the remaining assailants was not disclosed as security forces are pursuing them now.
Bayati said in his confession that he is originally from Hamdaniyah in Nineveh province, but currently living in Khabat district, north of Erbil. He further explained that he was introduced to a man from the Shia militia groups of Kataib Sayyed al-Shohada in November 2020. Together with other people, whose identities are withheld, he planned the attack on Erbil Airport.
Bayati clearly says that the rockets used in the attack were made by Iran, but he does not give any indication of who had ordered or masterminded the attack.