Iraq .. An American team working to maintain F-16 fighters has withdrawn from a military base

The American Lockheed Martin said it would evacuate contractors working to maintain F-16 fighters at Balad Air Force Base (north of the Iraqi capital) due to security concerns. Which is the target of repeated missile attacks, which US officials believe are carried out by Iranian-backed factions.

“In coordination with the US government and placing employee safety at our top priority, we are relocating the F-16 team stationed in Iraq to another location,” the company said. Read also The most prominent attacks on foreign troop bases in Iraq in two years The US military presence in Iraq: facts and figures After targeting the Iraqi Ain al-Assad base, the White House assesses the bombing and threatens to respond, and Iran describes the attack as suspicious Iraq accuses “outlaw groups” … a 3-missile attack on a military base at Baghdad Airport housing American forces

A person familiar with the matter said Lockheed Martin is forming a remote team to provide virtual support to the Iraqi Air Force.

He added that many of the contractors working for the base were working remotely for most of 2020.

It is not clear how many contractors were working at the base or where they would be transferred, but their evacuation highlights concerns about the threats to contractors and US military personnel.

3 missiles hit the base early this month, and the evacuation comes after the recent missile attacks close to hitting areas of the base where Lockheed Martin operates.

The United States has repeatedly called on the Iraqi government to do more to counter the missile attacks.

Balad Air Force Base, in Salah al-Din Governorate, northern Iraq, hosts contractors from the weapons manufacturer, who play a critical role in supporting the F-16s.

On April 24, the Iraqi National Security Adviser, Qassem Al-Araji, confirmed the absence of foreign combat forces at Balad Air Force Base, indicating that foreign civilian companies are in charge of training Iraqis in aircraft maintenance.

Al-Araji visited the base at the time to persuade Lockheed Martin not to withdraw from it, and the visit came after the company’s technicians threatened to withdraw after the base was subjected to missile attacks.

On April 18, a missile attack targeted this base, causing the injury of two security personnel, according to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.

The company had brought its technicians back to work after it withdrew them early last year due to mounting threats by Iraqi armed factions to target al-Qaeda.

Over the past months, military bases housing US forces in Iraq have been attacked by missiles, and Washington has accused armed factions loyal to Iran of being responsible.

About 3 thousand soldiers from the international coalition forces, including 2,500 American soldiers, are deployed in Iraq to fight ISIS in the country.