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News ID: 81442
Publish Date : 05 August 2020 - 21:55

Rocket Hits Green Zone in Iraq’s Baghdad

BAGHDAD (Dispatches) – A Katyusha rocket landed on Wednesday in the heavily fortified Green Zone in central the Iraqi capital Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source said.
The attack took place before dawn when a rocket landed in the zone, which houses some of the main Iraqi government offices and the U.S. embassy, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, as the military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the U.S. embassy have been frequently targeted by mortar and rocket attacks.
On Monday, two rockets fell in the vicinity of Iraq’s Taji military base, which is located north of the Baghdad capital and hosts U.S.-led coalition troops.
"The security forces found two rockets near Camp Taji and in the vicinity of the district of Al Moshahda”, a source told Al Sumaria broadcaster, adding that the landing did not result in a blast.
The base repeatedly comes under rocket fire attacks, as does Baghdad’s international airport and the so-called Green Zone of the Iraqi capital, where government buildings and embassies are located.
The most recent attack on Camp Taji took place late on 27 July.
Anti-U.S. sentiments have been running high in Iraq since Washington assassinated top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and the second-in-command of the Iraqi popular mobilization units, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in January.
Following the attack, Iraqi lawmakers unanimously approved a bill on January 5, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops.
Baghdad and Washington are currently in talks over the withdrawal of American troops.
Iraqi resistance groups have vowed to take up arms against U.S. troops if Washington fails to comply with the parliamentary order.
The U.S. says it is going to withdraw its forces from Iraq slowly and partially, but Iraqi lawmakers have urged an immediate and full withdrawal.