Jordan’s King Calls Iraqi Prime Minister After Assassination Attempt

Mustafa al-Kadhimi escaped unhurt after a drone attack on his home inside Baghdad's high-security Green Zone

(Amman) Jordan came out strongly in support of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and sent a clear message opposing those who attempted to assassinate the prime minister.

Kadhimi escaped unhurt after a drone attack on his home inside Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone early Sunday morning. Some three drones laden with explosives struck the building, injuring six of the prime minister’s bodyguards. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

King Abdullah II called Kadhimi and spoke with him on Sunday morning in the hours after the attack, and Jordan’s Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh opened the weekly Cabinet meeting with a strong statement of support. “We denounce the attacks which targeted Iraq and its stability, and maybe the security and stability of the entire region, at a time that national efforts in Iraq are fighting terror, which is, after all, the region,” Khasawneh said.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry also issued a statement expressing “support and solidarity” with the Republic of Iraq and its people, and calling the attempt a “criminal” act.

Kadhimi called for “calm and restraint from everyone” in the wake of the attack.

The attack, which comes after violent unrest over recent election results, was condemned by both the US and Iran.

The BBC quoted Iraqi security sources as saying that “three drones were used in the attack, launched from near Republic Bridge on the River Tigris, but two were shot down.”

Retired Jordanian Air Force Maj.-Gen. Mamoun Abu Nuwar told The Media Line that he expected something to happen following last month’s elections in Iraq, but not at this high level.

“Clearly the results of the elections upset many and the continued demonstrations that followed sent a clear message that something would happen,” he said.

Abu Nuwara said that he expects that the attack was carried out by a drone, which could be a clue as to who carried it out. “This was probably done by a drone and I am sure once they get to the wreckage, they will have a much better idea of who was behind the attack by the type of drone that was used and who most likely had access to that type.”

Abu Nuwar added he believes the attack was carried out by an Iranian proxy but noted that the failure of the attack “will have opposite results to those who want to change the results of the elections.”

Ahmad Shunnaq, the secretary-general of the National Constitutional Party, told The Media Line that the attempt against Kadhimi by a drone was probably ordered and carried out by a regional political party that was not happy with the results of the elections. Shunnaq said that the attack “proves that Iraq is moving in the right direction and is returning to its Arab base through building complimentary economic deals with the Levant countries and Egypt, and there is clearly a regional power that doesn’t want Iraq to be stable.”

Khaled Shnikat, the former head of the Jordanian Society for Political Sciences and a professor of political sciences at Al-Balqa’ Applied University, told The Media line that weapons in Iraq must be restricted by the state. “All armed factions must disarm and join the political process. This high-level assassination attempt has followed tens of actual assassinations, and this must stop,” he said.