2020 Camp Taji attacks
{{Infobox military operation
|name = 2020 Camp Taji attacks
|partof = 2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis
|subtitle =
|image =
|image_upright =
|alt =
|caption =
|scope =
|type = 32 Iranian 107mm (Katyusha launcher)(Per U.S.)
|location = Camp Taji, Taji, Iraq
|location2 =
|coordinates =
|coordinates2 =
|map_type =
|map_size =
|map_caption =
|map_label =
|map_label2 =
|planned =
|planned_by =
|commanded_by =
|objective =
|target = Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
|date = 11 March 2020
14 March 2020
|time =
|time-begin =
|time-end =
|timezone =
|executed_by = Disputed {{small|(Kata'ib Hezbollah alleged)}}
League of Revolutionaries{{cite web|url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2020/03/purported-new-iraqi-shia-group-claims-attacks-on-camp-taji.php|title=Purported new Iraqi Shia group claims attacks on Camp Taji|work=Long War Journal|date=15 March 2020|author1=Caleb Weiss|author2=Joe Truzman|access-date=17 March 2020|archive-date=6 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106184540/https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2020/03/purported-new-iraqi-shia-group-claims-attacks-on-camp-taji.php|url-status=live}}
|outcome =
|casualties = {{Flagicon|United States}} 2 soldiers killed (11 March)
{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} 1 soldier killed (11 March)
14 Coalition personnel wounded (11 March){{cite web|url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/pentagon-threatening-retaliatory-strike-camp-taji-attack-iraq/2329268/|title=Pentagon: US Strikes Iran-backed Group That Hit Iraq Base|author=Lolita C. Baldor|date=12 March 2020|website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth|access-date=12 March 2020|archive-date=18 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118191611/https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/pentagon-threatening-retaliatory-strike-camp-taji-attack-iraq/2329268/|url-status=live}}
3 Coalition personnel wounded (14 March)
2 Iraqi soldiers wounded (14 March){{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/d21a60e1c72eed9b6071901d45a7429a|title=Rocket Attack Near Baghdad Hits Base Housing U.S. Troops: Iraq Officials|author1=Qassim Abdul-Zahra|author2=Samya Kullab|date=14 March 2020|website=Associated Press|access-date=14 March 2020|archive-date=16 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316134205/https://apnews.com/article/d21a60e1c72eed9b6071901d45a7429a|url-status=live}}
|fatalities =
|injuries =
}}
{{Campaignbox Iraqi insurgency (2017–present)}}
The 2020 Camp Taji attacks were rocket attacks that took place on 11 March and 14 March 2020, targeting Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, in Baghdad Governorate, which hosts Coalition and United States Forces in Iraq (Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve). Three coalition soldiers were killed with 18 coalition soldiers being wounded.
Attacks
On 11 March 2020, 29 rockets impacted Camp Taji, killing two Americans,{{Cite web |last=Seligman |first=Lara |date=2020-03-11 |title=2 U.S. service members killed in attack in Iraq |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/03/11/iraq-rocket-attack-killed-126090 |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=POLITICO |language=en}} and one British soldier from the Royal Army Medical Corps who was attached to the Irish Guards.{{cite web |last=Haynes |first=Deborah |date=12 March 2020 |title=Iraq: British Army medic and two US soldiers killed in 'deplorable' rocket attack on base |url=https://news.sky.com/story/iraq-three-killed-after-rockets-hit-army-base-as-boris-johnson-calls-attack-deplorable-11955815 |website=Sky News |access-date=13 March 2020 |archive-date=3 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103013615/https://news.sky.com/story/iraq-three-killed-after-rockets-hit-army-base-as-boris-johnson-calls-attack-deplorable-11955815 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Sabbagh |first=Dan |date=12 March 2020 |title=UK servicewoman killed in missile attack on Iraqi base is named |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/12/mod-names-uk-servicewoman-killed-in-iraq-base-missile-attack |website=The Guardian |access-date=13 March 2020 |archive-date=27 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527181256/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/12/mod-names-uk-servicewoman-killed-in-iraq-base-missile-attack |url-status=live }} The attack left 14 other US soldiers, contractors and coalition personnel wounded, five of them critically.{{cite news |last1=Lamothe |first1=Dan |last2=Loveluck |first2=Louisa |date=11 March 2020 |title=U.S. and coalition troops killed in rocket attack in Iraq, potentially spiking tensions with Iran |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/03/11/us-coalition-troops-killed-rocket-attack-iraq-potentially-spiking-tensions-with-iran/ |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126165155/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/03/11/us-coalition-troops-killed-rocket-attack-iraq-potentially-spiking-tensions-with-iran/ |archive-date=26 January 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} One of the coalition wounded was identified as a Polish soldier.{{cite web|url=https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/polish-soldier-injured-in-iraq-rocket-attack-11067|title=Polish soldier injured in Iraq rocket attack|date=12 March 2020|website=The First News|access-date=12 March 2020|archive-date=3 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003041030/https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/polish-soldier-injured-in-iraq-rocket-attack-11067|url-status=live}}
On 14 March 2020, before 11:00 AM, another rocket attack took place at Camp Taji; over 25 107mm Type 63 Chinese rockets struck the coalition compound and the Iraqi Air defenses facilities, and three other coalition soldiers and two Iraqi soldiers. Iraqi forces subsequently found seven multiple rocket launchers with 24 unlaunched rockets.
U.S. response
On 11 March, three warplanes targeted the area near the Syrian town of Al-Bukamal and Iraq's Al-Anbar province. The US Department of Defense reported that 4 weapons depots, a propellant production plant, and a ballistic missile depot were targeted.{{Cite web |title=3 U.S. Service Members Wounded in Iraq Attack |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2112531/3-us-service-members-wounded-in-iraq-attack/ |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}
On 13 March after midnight, the U.S. launched air raids against Kata'ib Hezbollah facilities in Karbala, and other militia groups under the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Babylon.{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/retaliatory-strikes-attack-troops-iraq-200312220946232.html|title=US launches air raids in Iraq after deadly rocket attack|date=13 March 2020|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=13 March 2020|archive-date=6 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906201319/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/retaliatory-strikes-attack-troops-iraq-200312220946232.html|url-status=live}} The raids killed three Iraqi soldiers, two policemen and one civilian. 11 Iraqi soldiers were wounded as well as five PMF fighters.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/13/iraqi-civilian-among-six-dead-us-airstrikes/|title=Iraqi civilian among six dead in US airstrikes|author=James Rothwell|author2=Abbie Cheeseman|date=13 March 2020|website=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=13 March 2020|archive-date=17 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210217171359/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/13/iraqi-civilian-among-six-dead-us-airstrikes/|url-status=live}}
Reactions to response
The Iraqi military{{cite web |last1=Saeed |first1=Ahmed |last2=Stewart |first2=Phil |last3=Ali |first3=Idrees |date=13 March 2020 |title=Iraq condemns U.S. air strikes, warns of consequences |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa-iran-retaliation-mi/iraq-condemns-u-s-air-strikes-warns-of-consequences-idUSKBN2101AD |website=Reuters |access-date=13 March 2020 |archive-date=14 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210914205448/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa-iran-retaliation-mi/iraq-condemns-u-s-air-strikes-warns-of-consequences-idUSKBN2101AD |url-status=live }} and religious authorities condemned the strikes undertaken by the US and UK in response to the attacks,{{cite web |last1=Laessing |first1=Ulf |last2=Aboulenein |first2=Ahmed |date=13 March 2020 |editor-last=MacSwan |editor-first=Angus |title=Iraqi religious authorities say U.S. air strike hit civilian airport |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa-iran-retaliation-ai/iraqi-religious-authorities-say-u-s-air-strike-hit-civilian-airport-idUSKBN21001H |website=Reuters |access-date=13 March 2020 |archive-date=18 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918013019/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa-iran-retaliation-ai/iraqi-religious-authorities-say-u-s-air-strike-hit-civilian-airport-idUSKBN21001H |url-status=live }} and the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohamed Ali Alhakim, summoned the U.S. and British ambassadors over the bombing and an emergency meeting was held to determine what actions will be taken in the future. The Iraqi Joint Operations Command said that the claim that the airstrike was in response to the initial attack on the base lead "to escalation and does not provide a solution". Iraqi authorities stated that the "new U.S. air attack went against 'any partnership'". In addition, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran, Abbas Mousavi, said that the attacks are related to the U.S. "presence and behaviour" in Iraq.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Iran–United States relations}}
{{First presidency of Donald Trump}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camp Taji attacks, 2020}}
Category:March 2020 crimes in Asia
Category:Attacks in Iraq in 2020
Category:Building bombings in Iraq
Category:2020 building bombings
Category:Attacks on military installations in 2020
Category:History of Baghdad Governorate
Category:Iran–Iraq military relations
Category:Iran–United States relations
Category:Iraq–United States relations