Erbil, night of alarm: what happened at the Italian base and what changes now. Tension rises in Iraqi Kurdistan.

At first, there is only the muffled sound of breathing, compressed in the bunkers of Camp Singara. Then, when many cities are asleep, comes the sharp crack that scratches the silence: an explosive device — likely a drone or a low-flying missile — hits the area of the base's bar-restaurant, the small "fortress" where military personnel gather between shifts. It is the night between March 11 and March 12, 2026 in the vicinity of Erbil, in Iraqi Kurdistan, and the alert had been triggered for hours. However, the count reveals the news that everyone, in Rome as in Erbil, hoped to deliver: no Italian military personnel were injured. Initial assessments indicate limited damage and a fire that was quickly extinguished in the impacted area. Confirming this in Italy is Defense Minister Guido Crosetto; on the operational theater, it is the base commander, Colonel Stefano Pizzotti, who reassures about the status of the personnel.

A midnight attack: timings, dynamics, initial checks

According to multiple converging sources, the attack targeted the dining-bar area of Camp Singara, within the international military compound near Erbil airport. The point of impact and the recovered fragments are under analysis by bomb disposal experts to clarify precisely whether it was an explosive drone or a short-range missile. Collected testimonies and journalistic reconstructions indicate a time frame between 11:10 PM local time on March 11 and shortly after midnight on March 12; a detail that reflects the excitement of the early hours and the inevitable misalignment between time zones and institutional communication channels. What appears consistent is the sequence: the "air threat alert" is triggered around 8:30 PM local time, personnel take refuge in the bunkers following standard procedures, and the impact occurs about three hours later. Firefighting teams quickly extinguish the flames; damage to vehicles and structures in the impacted area is recorded, but without consequences for individuals.

In Rome, meanwhile, Defense Minister Guido Crosetto broadcasts the first message live on TV: "An explosive device has hit our base in Erbil. No casualties among the Italians." Words later reiterated to the agencies and on institutional channels, with thanks to the military and confirmation of constant contact with the Chief of Defense Staff and the Joint Operational Command (COVI). The Vice President of the Council and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemns the incident, expresses solidarity with the contingent, and clarifies that ongoing investigations will help understand the purposes, methods, and responsibilities of the attack.

Where it happened and who was there: the base, the mission, and the operational context

The Italian presence in Erbil is part of Operation "Prima Parthica", the national contribution to the international anti-ISIS coalition that has been operating in Iraq and Syria since 2014. In the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan, Italian military personnel — belonging to all Armed Forces — carry out training, advisory, and support tasks for local security forces, particularly the Peshmerga and the Zeravani Forces, with the aim of strengthening their autonomy and capacity to counter the residual terrorism of the Islamic State (ISIS/Daesh). Over time, Italian teams have contributed to the training of tens of thousands of Kurdish and Iraqi operators, including key modules such as countering IEDs (improvised explosive devices), precision shooting, tactical first aid, and operational planning.

The logistical perimeter of Camp Singara hosts units and infrastructure of the Coalition, with personnel from various countries — including, nearby, U.S. elements — and is part of the military complex that orbits around the international airport of Erbil. In the preceding months, the area had been repeatedly affected by missile launches and drone attacks in a regional context marked by escalation after February 28, 2026. For this reason, as reported by allied and local sources, passive defenses and emergency procedures had been further strengthened.

Who struck and why: responsibilities still under verification

In the hours following the attack, no credible claims of responsibility have emerged. Italian authorities are proceeding with caution: the affected area is part of a multinational complex, and it is currently impossible to determine with certainty whether the device was specifically aimed at the Italian sector or at the entire installation. This caution is shared by other capitals of the Coalition, aware that, at this stage, both state and non-state actors operate with hybrid arsenals — short-range missiles, kamikaze drones, homemade rockets — exploiting temporal windows and complex urban geographies. The political-military geography of the region, among pro-Iranian militias, regular Iraqi units, and Coalition assets, necessitates forensic checks on residues and trajectories before any attribution.

Words from Rome: reassurances, condemnation, continuity of the mission

In Italy, the speed of official communication had a clear objective: to reassure about the conditions of the personnel and to reiterate that activities continue safely. Guido Crosetto explained that he is in contact with the COVI and the commander on the ground, while Antonio Tajani emphasized the condemnation of the attack and full confidence in the military's actions. From headquarters, the chain of command confirmed the maintenance of protective measures, with personnel remaining in bunkers for several hours after the impact until the all-clear was given and the affected areas were cleared.

Why Erbil is crucial: training, deterrence, and regional stability

The capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan is a key node for the security of northern Iraq. The work of Italian instructors with the Peshmerga has contributed over the years to consolidating stability in a territory that borders Turkey, Syria, and, to the east, Iran. In this mosaic, the presence of an international training and support device — coordinated with the NATO Mission Iraq and under the direction of the COVI for the national pillar — acts as a deterrent factor and as a rapid response network where there are signs of jihadist insurgency or more classic asymmetric threats, such as indirect fire and low-observable drones.

“Lifesaving procedure”: how Italian military managed the alarm

The timeline reconstructed by qualified outlets and field sources suggests that, as soon as the "air threat alert" was triggered — around 8:30 PM local time — the personnel adopted the "life-saving procedure" which involves immediate shelter in bunkers, the suspension of non-essential activities, and the guarding of access points in a state of maximum alert. This timely response reduced exposure to risk when, hours later, the device struck the bar-restaurant area. The prompt firefighting intervention and compartmentalization of spaces prevented the flames from spreading further, limiting damage to vehicles and structures in the impact area.

Material damage, no injuries: what we know so far

Initial assessments converge on a picture of limited damage, consistent with a small to medium-sized explosive device or an explosive drone. In particular, fire and damage to at least two vehicles and some elements of the recreational facility (“Il Fortino”) have been reported, along with impacts on fixtures and furnishings. Critical functions of the base and sensitive infrastructures do not appear to be compromised. This is a significant point: it means that the operability of Camp Singara has not been called into question and that the presence of trained firefighting units, along with barriers and reinforced structures, worked as intended. It remains to be determined, through ballistic and forensic analyses of the fragments, whether the weapon used was a remotely piloted drone, a rocket, or a small-caliber missile.

A region under pressure: attacks on Erbil in recent weeks

The incident in Erbil does not occur in a vacuum. Since March 1, 2026, the region has seen an increase in alerts and interceptions of missiles and drones. Local and international sources have reported numerous attack attempts neutralized by the defense systems deployed in the area, while the commands of the Coalition have maintained a high level of vigilance. The pressure on Erbil reflects the broader dynamics of retaliation and counter-retaliation stemming from the regional escalation following February 28, 2026, with implications that have also affected Kuwait and the Gulf theater. In this context, the Italian presence has adapted devices and procedures while remaining faithful to the training and support mandate.

How many Italians are there and what do they do: numbers and tasks

The Italian contingent in the Iraqi theater varies in rotations and tasks, but in recent years it has stabilized at around 1,100 units between Iraq and Kuwait, with a significant core in Erbil. Italian units have provided training to over 48,000 operators among Peshmerga and Iraqi police, with a recent focus on 3,000 agents in 2023 alone and dedicated cycles for the Kurdish military police Zeravani. It is a continuous investment that has yielded results in terms of professionalization and interoperability with NATO and Coalition standards.

International Reactions and the Allied Framework

The news of the attack spread within hours across major international agencies and publications, with a common thread: no injuries among Italians, manageable damage, and ongoing investigations into the type of explosive and potential authorship. The fact that the Italian base is located "within a complex that includes other bases from other countries" is emphasized by multiple sources, highlighting the multinational nature of the area and the resulting caution in the immediate attribution of responsibility. For Coalition partners, the incident is yet another reminder of the need to combine active and passive protection measures with the continuity of training missions, deemed strategic for Iraqi stability.