by InTrieste
An Italian military base in northern Iraq was struck by a drone on the night of March 11, causing material damage but no injuries among Italian personnel, officials said. The attack occurred at Camp Singara, a base near Erbil that has been used to train Kurdish forces as part of the international coalition against ISIS.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed that all Italian military and civilian personnel at the base were safe, having taken shelter in bunkers when the strike occurred. According to sources cited by Sky TG24, the drone was a Shahed-type unmanned aircraft and may not have been directly targeting the interior of the base. The device reportedly lost altitude and struck a military vehicle near the perimeter. Explosive ordnance disposal teams were immediately deployed to secure the area.
Colonel Stefano Pizzotti, the base commander, described the events to Sky TG24. The unit had been on pre-alert, and personnel moved to their bunkers after an air threat alarm was triggered at approximately 8:30 p.m. local time. The strike occurred shortly before 1:00 a.m., damaging infrastructure but causing no casualties.
“The morale of the personnel is high,” Colonel Pizzotti said. “We wanted to reassure families. We are trained and prepared for these situations.” He added that the Italian contingent at the base had recently been reduced, meaning fewer personnel were present than usual.
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned the strike and expressed solidarity with Italian troops, confirming that Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had been informed. Speaking on Rete 4, Tajani did not assign responsibility, noting that an investigation would be needed before determining next steps or whether the attack could be considered an act of war.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, particularly in relation to Iran, which have increased risks for international forces in the region. Italy currently maintains personnel in Iraq, Lebanon, and other countries as part of multinational stabilization and training missions. Camp Singara, which has trained thousands of Kurdish soldiers over the years, had previously remained largely insulated from regional flare-ups. Thursday’s strike underscores the continuing vulnerability of such bases.
