UN Mission in Iraq Condemns Assassination Attempt Against Prime Minister

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United Nations Mission in Iraq on Sunday condemned the assassination attempt targeting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and called for calm and caution.

"The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) condemns in the strongest terms the assassination attempt against Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. The Mission expresses its relief that the Prime Minister was not hurt in the drone attack on his residence in Baghdad," the mission said in a statement.

Al-Kadhimi's house in Baghdad was targeted by drone and rocket attacks early Sunday, Al Arabiya reported. The prime minister was taken to hospital for treatment from where he announced that he was doing fine.

"Terrorism, violence and unlawful acts must not be allowed to undermine Iraq’s stability and derail its democratic process," UNAMI stressed.

The mission joined the prime minister in calling for calm and urging restraint and added that it strongly encourages all sides to take responsibility and engage in dialogue to ease political tensions while keeping in mind Iraq's national interest.

The attacks come amid a rise in tensions between the country's security forces and activists who took to the streets on Friday to protest the results of the October parliamentary elections.

"The United Nations stands by all Iraqis who long for peace and stability; they deserve nothing less," the mission concluded.

Heavy gunfire exchange could also be heard near the Green Zone in Baghdad. The country's interior ministry qualified the assassination attempt on Al-Kadhimi as a terrorist act and added that the attack was with the help of three drones, two of which were downed.