The Iraqi Army, on Saturday, deployed anti-aircraft defenses on the rooftops of government buildings in various areas of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, sparking debate across the country. According to the website “Al-Sumaria News”, locals expressed surprise and concern over the deployment of anti-aircraft systems atop the structures.
Many citizens questioned on social media the real reason behind these sudden and unusual measures.
“Sky News Arabia” cited a security source saying that the “deployment of the defenses is part of a plan to secure vital targets in the Iraqi capital.” The spokesperson for the Joint Operations Command in Iraq, Major General Tahsin Al-Khafaji, stated in press remarks that the reason was “to protect Iraqi airspace from any attack, breach, or security threat facing the country.”
The spokesperson emphasized that this is a “routine procedure followed in all countries worldwide.” So far, neither the Iraqi Ministry of Defense nor the relevant government entities have provided any official clarification regarding the reasons for this deployment in the capital.