(Previous Incident Code: ISIRQ260321b )

At 10 a.m. on Saturday, 21 March 2026, one person was reported killed and three others injured in a drone attack allegedly launched by Iranian-backed militias which struck the building of the Iraqi intelligence headquarters in the Mansour district in Baghdad, Iraq. The fatality was identified as Sarmad Tayeb Nouri, an officer in the Iraqi National Intelligence Services.

Based on consultation with experts in International Humanitarian Law, Airwars is considering those working as intelligence officers as civilians, given that the Iraqi National Intelligence Services is defined as a civilian intelligence agency that reports directly to the Prime Minister. As far as Airwars’ researchers understand, individuals were not directly participating in hostilities (in which case Airwars would classify individuals as militants). Should other evidence become available challenging this initial determination, Airwars will update this assessment accordingly.

The Facebook account of Hamza Al-Aboudi said that “several others were wounded” in the attack. According to ‘Al Faluja Channel, three officers were injured in the strike. According to Shafaq News Agency, referring to a security source, an officer suffered a serious injury as a result of the drone explosion within the headquarters compound. The source denied reports circulating on social media about the presence of American personnel or advisors inside the headquarters at the time of the attack, asserting that this information was “completely false” and that the headquarters is entirely staffed by Iraqi national personnel.

In a statement shared by @INIS_IQ on X, the National Intelligence Service confirmed the killing of its officer. The statement reads: “At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2026, the vicinity of the National Intelligence Service headquarters in Baghdad was targeted in a terrorist attack carried out by outlaw elements, resulting in the martyrdom of an officer. This desperate attempt aims to deter the Service from performing its professional duties. While affirming its commitment to fulfilling its national obligations, the Service emphasizes that these terrorist acts only strengthen its resolve and determination to pursue the perpetrators and those responsible until they are apprehended and brought to justice.The Facebook account of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense identified the fatality as Sarmad Tayeb Nouri and reported that he was killed when the Iraqi Intelligence Service building was attacked.”

Facebook account ‘Sajad Al Musawi’ described the incident as a “drone strike.” Facebook account ‘Iraqi military capabilities’ posted photographs showing extensive damage to a building. The Facebook account of Al-Araby TV said that a drone was shot down on this date in the Mansour district, and posted a video showing a plume of smoke rising above the city, but it is not currently clear whether this was the same event as the one in which Nouri was killed.

Facebook account, ‘The zealous Iraqi soldier’ described Nouri as the father of three children. ‘Iraq Post’ shared two photographs to Facebook, with one showing Nouri sitting at a cafe or restaurant table, and another depicting his funeral procession. In another Facebook post, Huda Alrfaye described Nouri as a resident of Kirkuk.

This Facebook account also described the incident as taking place “in the heart of the capital,” Baghdad, and‘Sulaymaniyah Eye’ reported the location as Mansour, a district in the centre of the city.

Facebook user Ten 10 shared an image showing remnants of the drone that hit the intelligence headquarters with the inscription “Image of the drone that targeted the headquarters of the Iraqi Intelligence Service in the Mansour area, central Baghdad.”

The National Intelligence Service identified the belligerent as “outlaw groups” and “outlaw elements” (often a term used to describe militias), while a think tank Critical Threats has put the responsibility for Iranian-back militias: “A likely Iranian-backed Iraqi militia conducted a one-way drone attack targeting the Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) headquarters in Baghdad City on March 21, killing an Iraqi intelligence officer.” Airwars has therefore graded the strike status of the incident as “likely strike.”