Drone attack kills 3 paramilitary members in Baghdad

Three members of Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces were killed and five wounded on Thursday in a drone attack in eastern Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua.

The attack occurred at midday when an unknown drone bombarded the headquarters of the Hashd Shaabi's 12th brigade in Palestine Street in the eastern part of Baghdad, killing the brigade leader Talib al-Saiedi, one of his aides and a fighter, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The explosion also wounded five Hashd Shaabi fighters, destroyed two vehicles, and caused damage to the headquarters, the source said.

Iraqi security forces rushed to the area and cordoned off the scene while ambulances evacuated the victims to hospitals, he added.

The 12th brigade belongs to the al-Nujaba Movement, a Shiite militia affiliated with the Hashd Shaabi forces.

Yahya Rasoul, the military spokesman of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, said in a statement that the attack is a "blatant assault and blatant violation of Iraq's sovereignty and security."

The Iraqi authorities "hold the international coalition forces responsible for this unjustified attack on an Iraqi security body," the statement said.