OREANDA-NEWS. On Monday, February 16, Erbil city, located in northern Iraq, was subjected to rocket fire. Kurds live in this region. At least one person was killed and six were injured, including a U.S. soldier.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken condemned the attack, calling it an «act of brutal violence». He also appealed to the head of the Kurdish autonomy, Masrour Barsani, promising US support in investigating the incident and bringing to justice those who stands behind the rocket attack.

According to preliminary data, the dead and five wounded were in Erbil on private contracts. Information is being clarified on whether there were also US citizens among them. The missiles exploded near the airport, not far from the US military base. The Regional Ministry of Internal Affairs reports a lot of wounded, without specifying the number.

Relations between the United States and Iran sharply deteriorated after the January 3, when US air strike attacked the airport in Baghdad, as a result of which the Iranian General Qasem Suleimani, who headed the special forces of the IRGC «Al-Quds», was killed. The US State Department called the elimination of Suleimani a response to the threat to the Americans.