Drone attack on U.S. forces foiled west of Baghdad

The remains of the wreckage of a drone that was shot down are seen at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq January 4, 2022. Iraqi Media Security Cell/Handout via REUTERS

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Two explosive-laden drones were shot down on Tuesday by Iraq's air defenses as they approached the Ain al-Asad air base, which hosts U.S. forces, west of Baghdad, an official of the U.S.-led international military coalition said.

A similar attack was foiled on Monday, when Iraqi air defenses downed two drones as they approached a base hosting U.S. forces near Baghdad's international airport.

The attacks came as Iran and its allies in Iraq marked the second anniversary of the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

The United States is leading the international military coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Iraq and in Syria.

Soleimani was killed on Jan. 3 2021, in a drone strike near Baghdad airport ordered by then-U.S. president Donald Trump.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Monday that Trump must face trial for the killing or Tehran would take revenge.

(Reporting Ahmed Rasheed, writing by Maher Chmaytelli, editing by Andrew Heavens)