Iraq military: 2 rockets strike inside Green Zone

BAGHDAD — Two rockets struck Baghdad’s heavy fortified Green Zone, location to the U.S. embassy, causing spot harm but nary casualties, Iraq’s subject said aboriginal Sunday.

One rocket was destroyed by the embassy’s C-RAM defence system. Another fell adjacent a nationalist monument, causing harm to 2 civilian vehicles, the connection said. An probe was launched by Iraqi information forces.

Along with the U.S. embassy, the Green Zone houses different overseas diplomatic missions and Iraqi authorities buildings. The portion is simply a predominant people of rocket and drone attacks that American officials blasted connected Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups.

Iran-aligned groups person vowed revenge connected the U.S. for a 2020 drone onslaught that killed Iranian wide Qassem Soleimani and Iraqi militia commandant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. They person conditioned the extremity of attacks against the U.S. beingness successful Iraq connected the exit of American troops from the country.

The U.S.-led conjugation formally ended it’s combat ngo supporting Iraqi forces successful the ongoing combat against the Islamic State radical this month. Some 2,500 troops volition stay arsenic the conjugation shifts to an advisory ngo to proceed supporting Iraqi forces.

The rocket attacks, erstwhile near-daily occurrences, person slowed successful caller months. In November, an explosive-laden drone targeted the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi successful an assassination attempt.