Iraq officials say rocket attack hit base housing U.S. troops
BAGHDAD — A barrage of rockets hit a base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi security officials said, just days after a similar attack killed three servicemen, including two Americans.
The U.S.-led coalition said at least 25 107mm rockets struck Camp Taji just before 11 a.m. Some struck the area where coalition forces are based, while others fell on air defense units, the Iraqi military statement said.
Five people were wounded in the attack, including three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers, according to a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, Col. Myles Caggins.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman later said three U.S. service members were wounded in the Camp Taji attack, two of them seriously.
He said Iraqi forces have made an initial arrest.
Mr. Hoffman also repeated Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s comments from last week, saying, “You cannot attack and wound American service members and get away with it. We will hold them accountable.”
A statement from Iraq’s military said the “brutal aggression” wounded a number of air defense personnel who remain in critical condition, but did not provide a number.
Iraqi forces later discovered seven platforms from which the rockets were in the Abu Azam area, north of Baghdad. Another 24 missiles were discovered in place and ready to launch.
The attack was unusual because it occurred during the day. Previous assaults on military bases housing U.S. troops typically occurred at night.