Iraqi Army soldiers stand guard on a road between the US Embassy and the International Zone on May 30, 2021 in Baghdad, Iraq. AFP
Iraqi Army soldiers stand guard on a road between the US Embassy and the International Zone on May 30, 2021 in Baghdad, Iraq. AFP
Iraqi Army soldiers stand guard on a road between the US Embassy and the International Zone on May 30, 2021 in Baghdad, Iraq. AFP
Iraqi Army soldiers stand guard on a road between the US Embassy and the International Zone on May 30, 2021 in Baghdad, Iraq. AFP

US air defences destroy explosive drones targeting base in Iraq


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Two explosive drones were destroyed over a base housing US troops, the Iraqi army said on Sunday.

The attack took place a month after the base was targeted by another armed drone.

The US' counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-Ram) defence system was used against the drones above the Ain Al Asad base, located in the Iraqi Western Desert, the Iraqi army said.

The system uses an infrared sensor to detect the drones, before firing a torrent of 4,500 bullets per minute to shoot them down.

Several hours earlier, a rocket was shot down over Baghdad airport, "without causing casualties or damage", said Col Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the US-led military coalition in Iraq.

The US blames Iran-linked Iraqi factions for rocket attacks against Iraqi installations housing its personnel.

Since the start of this year, there have been 39 attacks against US interests in Iraq.

The vast majority have been bombs against logistics convoys, while 14 were rocket attacks, some of them claimed by pro-Iran factions, who aim to pressure Washington into withdrawing all their troops.

The use of drones against US interests by these factions is a recent tactic, although the US military has accused pro-Iran Iraqi groups of helping Yemen's Houthi rebels carry out attacks using such devices against Saudi interests.

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In pictures: Iran's militias in Iraq

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Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

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Uefa Champions League, Group B
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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European arms

Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons.  Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.

Ads on social media can 'normalise' drugs

A UK report on youth social media habits commissioned by advocacy group Volteface found a quarter of young people were exposed to illegal drug dealers on social media.

The poll of 2,006 people aged 16-24 assessed their exposure to drug dealers online in a nationally representative survey.

Of those admitting to seeing drugs for sale online, 56 per cent saw them advertised on Snapchat, 55 per cent on Instagram and 47 per cent on Facebook.

Cannabis was the drug most pushed by online dealers, with 63 per cent of survey respondents claiming to have seen adverts on social media for the drug, followed by cocaine (26 per cent) and MDMA/ecstasy, with 24 per cent of people.

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Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani

3 stars