Rocket fire in Iraq leaves US civilian dead, many wounded

A rocket attack in Iraq killed a US civilian contractor, raising fears on Saturday that violence could escalate in the protest-hit country already engulfed in its worst political crisis in decades.

Washington recently promised “a decisive US response” to a growing number of unclaimed attacks on its interests in Iraq, which it blames on pro-Iran factions.

US-Iran tensions have soared since Washington pulled out of a landmark nuclear agreement with Tehran last year and imposed crippling sanctions. Baghdad, which is close to both countries, risks being caught in the middle.

A US source has said pro-Iran factions in Iraq are now considered a more significant threat to

HIGHLIGHT

A US source has said proIran factions in Iraq are now considered a more significant threat to American soldiers than Daesh.

American soldiers than Daesh, whose sweeping offensive in 2014 saw Washington deploy thousands of troops to the country.

A barrage of 30 rockets was fired at the K1 Iraqi military base in Kirkuk, an oil-rich region north of Baghdad, around 22:20 GMT Friday, a US official told AFP.

“One US civilian contractor was killed and several US service members and Iraqi personnel were wounded,” said the US-led international coalition against Daesh. US diplomatic and military sources have told AFP of their growing frustration with the recent attacks.

They say they rely on their Iraqi partners to play a “de-conflicting” role between American forces and the Hashed Al-Shaabi, an umbrella organization for paramilitary groups largely made up of Iranbacked militias.