Jane Araf

Iran and Iran-backed militias in Iraq have been attacking the airport in retaliation for U.S.

attacks on Iran and its proxies.

Iraq's justice ministry says some of the strikes Saturday landed very close to the prison, and it's concerned about the security of the facility.

Jane Araf, NPR News, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Witnesses heard the explosion and saw smoke rising from the U.S.

Embassy in Baghdad's heavily guarded Green Zone.

An Iraqi security official told NPR the airstrike hit a radar installation on the embassy compound.

He asked for anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

The U.S.

military had no immediate comment.

Jane Araf and Peer News, Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Hi.

Well, as you know, the Kurds have long been strong U.S.

allies, including the fight against ISIS.

Now, this was Talabani's first interview with Western media since the start of the war.

And he wanted to make clear that neither Iraqi nor Iranian Kurds here would be part of the fight.

Let's listen.

Talabani is deputy prime minister for the entire Kurdistan region.

He says his brother, Vafal Talabani, who's head of the party that controls this part of Iraqi Kurdistan, spoke with Trump last week and relayed this message.

Talabani points out that in a country the size of Western Europe with 90 million people,