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No Polish soldiers hurt in Iranian missile attacks: defence minister

08.01.2020 13:00
No Polish soldiers were hurt in Iranian missile attacks on US military bases in Iraq, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak said on Wednesday, state news agency PAP reported.
Ballistic missile Zelzal is launched during the second day of military exercises, codenamed Great Prophet-6, by Irans elite Revolutionary Guards at an undisclosed location in Iran, 28 June 2011 (Reissued 07 January 2020).
Ballistic missile Zelzal is launched during the second day of military exercises, codenamed Great Prophet-6, by Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards at an undisclosed location in Iran, 28 June 2011 (Reissued 07 January 2020).EPA/STRNGER

“None of the Polish soldiers in Iraq were hurt in rocket attacks on the Al-Asad and Erbil bases. We are in constant contact with the commander of the Polish Military Contingent in Iraq,” Błaszczak tweeted.

The Reuters news agency reported that Iranian forces fired missiles at military bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq on Wednesday in retaliation for the U.S. killing of an Iranian general, raising the stakes in a conflict with Washington amid concern of a wider war in the Middle East.

Iranian state television said Iran had fired 15 ballistic missiles from its territory at U.S. targets in its neighbour Iraq, Reuters reported. According to the news agency, one source said early indications were of no U.S. casualties, while other U.S. officials declined to comment.

There are over 200 Polish soldiers stationed in Iraq on a training mission, Błaszczak told public broadcaster TVP Info on Tuesday.

In an interview with Polish private broadcaster Radio ZET on Wednesday, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said that the Polish ambassador to Iraq, Beata Pęksa, had been evacuated to Poland.

Tomasz Piotrowski, a top Polish army general, said on Wednesday that evacuating Polish soldiers from Iraq “is not being considered at the moment.” He added: “We are there as part of a coalition, we are a reliable [NATO] ally.”

(jh/pk)

Source: PAP/Reuters