A view of the green zone in Baghdad, where the seat of government is located, as well as the American embassy, on December 19, 2021 after the firing of two rockets (AFP / Sabah ARAR)
Two rockets targeted early Sunday the ultra-secure green zone in Baghdad housing the US embassy in the Iraqi capital, Iraqi security forces said in a statement.
“The green zone in Baghdad was the target of two Katyusha rockets. The first was shot down in the air by C-RAM defense batteries, the second fell on a square, damaging two vehicles,” the statement said. .
A security source told AFP that the shot down rocket fell near the US embassy, while the second fell 500 meters away.
Previously, this source told AFP that two rockets had been shot down near the embassy.
Sunday’s shooting was not claimed. In recent months, dozens of rocket attacks or drone bomb attacks have targeted American troops and interests in Iraq.
Never claimed, these attacks are systematically blamed by the United States on Iraqi pro-Iran factions.
Sunday’s attack comes after Iraq has already officially announced the end of the “combat mission” on its territory of the international anti-jihadist coalition led by Washington and American troops engaged in this framework.
In fact, the approximately 2,500 American soldiers and the 1,000 coalition soldiers deployed in Iraq will remain there, to pursue a role of training, advice and assistance.
But pro-Iran Iraqi factions are calling for the departure of all US forces stationed in the country.
A view of the green zone in Baghdad, where the seat of government is located, as well as the American embassy, on December 19, 2021 after the firing of two rockets (AFP / Sabah ARAR)
On social networks, the nebula of groups close to these factions is increasing threats and reminds Washington of the deadline of December 31 to demand this total American withdrawal – which was never discussed.
Sunday’s attack comes as Iraq marks the 10th anniversary of the departure of US troops on December 18, 2011, after the 2003 invasion of Saddam Hussein’s regime.
Washington then redeployed its troops to the country as part of the anti-jihadist struggle.
At the beginning of November, Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazimi escaped unharmed from an unclaimed drone bomb attack, which targeted his official residence in the Green Zone.
In September, an attack with “armed drones” targeted the international airport of Erbil (north) where there is an air base sheltering troops of the international anti-jihadist coalition.
ak / tgg / ybl