Iraq is in the process of procuring new anti-aircraft weapons to bolster its air defenses amid escalating threats in the region.
Spokesperson Major General Yehia Rasool said the country has sent military and technical delegations to several countries “to explore its options.”
Offers have also reportedly been made, but he did not disclose any particular vendors.
It remains unclear how much Baghdad is earmarking for the initiative or if it has already decided on what to purchase.
However, despite the limited information, Rasool revealed that the new anti-aircraft systems will operate alongside the country’s newly-acquired French radars for improved air defenses.
“Iraq has contracted French radars and a batch of them have arrived, and we are proceeding to complete the radar systems in general, including low, medium, and high-range radars,” he was quoted as saying.
Increasing Threats
Iraq’s decision to buy new anti-aircraft weapons comes as the country’s airspace has repeatedly come under attack by Turkey and Iran.
An Iranian ballistic missile struck a home in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in January, killing four civilians and wounding six others.
Hours later, the country’s missile defense systems successfully intercepted a drone attack by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq on a facility that houses US and Iraqi military forces.
Turkey has also carried out strikes against the Kurdistan Workers Party in northern Iraq, with the latest attack happening earlier this month and costing the lives of two civilians.
Apart from bolstering its defenses, the Iraqi government is considering ending the presence of American troops in the country to prevent it from becoming a theater for regional conflict.