Drone hits Italian base in Erbil, no injuries reported

A drone struck the Italian military base in Erbil, in northern Iraq, but no injuries were reported among Italian personnel. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed the incident, reassuring that the contingent stationed at the base was safe.

According to informed sources, the aircraft — identified as a Shahed-type drone — may not have been deliberately targeting the Italian installation. The drone reportedly lost altitude before impact and struck a military vehicle inside the base perimeter. 

At the time of the strike, Italian personnel had already taken shelter in the base’s bunkers.

The Sequence of Events

The commander of the base, Colonel Stefano Pizzotti, later reconstructed the sequence of events. The facility had already been placed on alert earlier in the evening.

At around 20:30 local time an air threat warning was issued, prompting personnel to move to designated bunkers. A subsequent aerial threat followed, with the drone impacting the base and causing limited material damage to infrastructure.

Bomb disposal teams were then deployed to secure the area and assess the remnants of the drone.

Colonel Pizzotti also noted that the Italian contingent had been partially reduced shortly before the crisis began. He reassured families that the troops stationed at the base remain well trained and prepared to operate under such conditions.

A strategic outpost in Northern Iraq

Camp Singara, the Italian base near Erbil, sits close to the borders with Syria, Turkey and Iran and has long served as a strategic outpost in the international campaign against ISIS.

Established as part of the anti-ISIS coalition, the base has over the years trained thousands of Kurdish security personnel at the request of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned the attack and confirmed that he is in contact with the Italian ambassador in Iraq as well as with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Authorities are now working to determine responsibility for the incident and to assess any potential diplomatic implications.