Sources say Washington raised urgent concerns with V2X after reports of drone strikes, weak base protections, and escalating militia threats across key military sites.
By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj, SULAIMANI, Kurdish Policy Analysis, April 20 — The United States has urged defense contractor V2X to evacuate employees from Kuwait and Iraq amid concerns they could be targeted by Iran-backed militias, according to four sources familiar with the matter, in an intervention highlighting rising regional security risks for Western contractors operating at military-linked sites.
The move follows reporting that V2X personnel were deployed at U.S. military facilities in Kuwait and at Iraq’s Martyr Brigadier General Ali Flaih airbase, also known as Balad airbase, as well as in Erbil in northern Iraq. Employees have previously raised concerns over inadequate protection, limited communication regarding evacuation planning, and pressure to remain in high-risk areas despite escalating threats.
In Iraq, workers have described repeated exposure to drone activity and gunfire, while at least one contractor employee was killed in a nighttime drone strike in March, according to earlier accounts from personnel.
On April 9, officials from the U.S. State Department met V2X leadership to raise concerns about possible militia activity targeting the Balad airbase, two sources said. The company operates under a Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) contract worth approximately $252 million, providing base support and security services for U.S. operations in Iraq.
“The U.S. government had a meeting with the company questioning why Americans were still on base,” one source said, speaking anonymously due to fear of repercussions. According to the source, officials pressed whether evacuation requests had been escalated to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the military body overseeing operations in the region.
Another source said government representatives instructed that an aircraft be returned to base to prepare for potential emergency evacuations.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
At the Balad airbase, employees say no formal evacuation plan has been implemented. Workers claim they were told that leaving independently would be classified as a “voluntary evacuation,” potentially resulting in job loss, as management sought to maintain staffing levels tied to contractual obligations, according to messages reviewed by the Guardian and accounts from personnel.
Employees also cited deteriorating mental health conditions, citing frequent disturbances from drone activity and nearby explosions.
An internal email dated April 14 described the regional threat environment as “VERY HIGH,” warning that Iranian-aligned proxy groups retained both the capability and intent to strike U.S.-linked targets in Iraq, and that any lull in activity should not be interpreted as reduced risk.
The email also referenced concerns over unexploded ordnance on base and noted that internal investigations had been launched after an Iraqi soldier accidentally discharged a weapon into a secured area, damaging infrastructure.
Personnel have also raised concerns about insufficient bunker reinforcement, with company management acknowledging requests for improved protection measures.
“I’m starting to feel like I won’t make it out of here,” one contractor told the Guardian, describing widespread anxiety among staff.
Separately, in Erbil, V2X reportedly maintained several hundred personnel under an active contract, housing many in local hotels lacking formal security protections. Following heightened tensions in the region, several senior managers were evacuated in late March, further increasing concerns among remaining staff.
On April 14, about 100 employees were evacuated from Iraq following U.S. government guidance to reduce staffing levels in Erbil, according to two sources. However, other personnel reportedly remain in place due to ongoing mission requirements.
#Iraq #Kuwait #Iran #USMilitary #BreakingNews #MiddleEast #DefenseContractors #Geopolitics
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