Multiple roadside bomb explosions hit US-led coalition supply convoys in southern, central Iraq

Multiple roadside bombs have separately gone off near convoys of trucks carrying equipment and fuel belonging to US-led coalition forces in Iraq’s southern provinces of Dhi Qar and al-Qadisiyah as well as the central province of Babil, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

An Iraqi security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that an explosive device exploded while a convoy was passing along a highway near the city of Nasiriyah, situated about 360 kilometers (225 miles) southeast of the capital Baghdad, on Thursday.

Shortly afterward, another bomb attack struck a tanker of the US-led coalition forces close to the same Iraqi city. The explosion reportedly injured the driver.

Multiple news outlets, later reported that another blast had taken place when a US-led convoy was moving on a highway in the city of al-Diwaniyah, located 180 kilometers south of Baghdad.

There was no immediate information about casualties.

The fourth roadside bomb attack was reported against a US-led coalition supply convoy in the central province of Babil. It left no military personnel injured.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks yet.

The attacks come as US President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Monday sealed an agreement, formally ending the US combat mission in Iraq by the end of the current year, more than 18 years after US troops were sent to the country.

Under the agreement, however, US military forces will continue to operate in Iraq in what has been termed as an “advisory role.”

A joint Iraq-US statement issued after the meeting said the “security” relationship will be focused on “training, advising and intelligence-sharing.”

Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Biden said the US would continue to “train, to assist, to help and to deal with ISIS (Daesh) as it arises,” when the combat mission comes to an end.

The US currently has about 2,500 troops in Iraq. It is not known how many troops will stay in the country beyond 2021. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said “the numbers will be driven by what is needed for the mission over time.”