IRAQI communists hit out at a “cowardly attack” after the party’s Baghdad headquarters was firebombed late on Friday which it claimed was an attempt to disrupt negotiations to form a coalition government.

Two homemade bombs were thrown into the gardens of the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP) building in Andulus Square. However, there were no casualties from the blast which caused only minor damage, according to party spokesman Jassim Helfi.

In a statement, the ICP political committee condemned the attack which it claimed was in response to the party’s role in the ongoing efforts to form the country’s new federal government following the recent elections.

They formed part of the Sairoon coalition, an alliance with Islamist firebrand Muqtada al-Sadr which won Iraq’s general election in a shock victory earlier this month.

The coalition won 54 of the 328 seats in the Baghdad parliament. Suhad al-Khateeb became the first woman Communist candidate to be elected in the Shia-dominated Najaf constituency.

The party said the result was “a shock to the corrupt who are clinging on to power to the extent of committing heinous crimes to undermine the resolve of those who are demanding reform and change.”

But it vowed the attack would not weaken the resolve of communists who will continue to march forward “whatever the sacrifices” in the interest of the people and towards building democracy and justice.

“Shame and disgrace to the perpetrators of this treacherous act and to the politically and morally bankrupt who are behind them,” the statement concluded.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing.