Six French soldiers wounded in drone attack in northern Iraq

Six French soldiers have been injured in an attack in Iraq's northern Irbil region of Iraq, AFP news agency reported on Thursday, citing the French military.

The soldiers were engaged in counterterrorism training operations with Iraqi partners in at the time, the military said.

No other details were provided, AFP said.

The governor of Erbil said the strike involved two drones and took place at a base in Mala Qara.

That is about 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of Erbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region.

Iran also strikes Italian base in Erbil

The attack on the French base came shortly after a separate drone strike late Wednesday on an Italian base in Erbil.

No one was injured in the strike.

Italy's Defense Minister Guidi Crosetto said the base was deliberately hit by a Shahed drone made by Iran, Italian news agency ANSA reported.

When asked whether the attack was deliberate, Crosetto told Italian state broadcaster RAI: "Absolutely, that's a NATO base and it's also American."

Italy will temporarily evacuate its 141 remaining troops at the base, Crosetto said on Thursday.

He added that this wouldn't be easy as they would have to leave overland, "probably via Turkey."