Rockets strike inside Baghdad’s Green Zone after lull in attacks
● Attack comes as US pulls out of second airbase in the north of Iraq
Iraq’s military said at least two rockets hit inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone – the seat of Iraq’s government and home to the American embassy – in the first attack following a brief lull in violence from earlier this month.
Yesterday’s attack came as the Us-led coalition pulled out of a second base elsewhere in Iraq in line with a planned drawdown. Iraqi officials also said the US renewed a sanctions waiver enabling Iraq to import crucial gas and electricity from Iran, but with a shorter deadline.
The two projectiles struck near the Baghdad Operations Command, which co-ordinates Iraq’s police and military forces, the military statement said. The command centre is a few hundred metres away from the US embassy, which is a regular target of rocket attacks.
There were no casualties, according to an Iraqi security official.
No rockets had been fired at the Green Zone since last Tuesday when three hit an area near the embassy. That was the fourth rocket attack in the span of a week targeting us interests in Iraq after assaults on the Basmaya training camp and two separate attacks on Camp Taji. Both bases are near the Iraqi capital.
The first attack on Camp Taji killed three coalition servicemen, including two Americans. That prompted US airstrikes against what American officials said were mainly weapons facilities belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, the Iranbacked Iraqi militia group believed to be responsible for the attack.
However, Iraq’s military said those airstrikes killed five security force members and a civilian. The military said five fighters were also wounded from the Popular Mobilisation Forces – an umbrella organisation including an array of Iraqi militias, including some Iranbacked groups. Iran-backed Iraqi militias have vowed revenge for the attacks.
Yesterday morning’s attack came as a state-imposed curfew to contain the spread of the new coronavirus was extended for a second time until 11 April. The effective lockdown prohibits large public gatherings and has shuttered all businesses except essential ones like pharmacies and supermarkets.
An Iraqi army statement said it was enforcing the curfew by allocating army units to assist police forces on the street and to cordon off areas if a flare up of virus cases occurs.
In northern Iraq, the Us-led coalition pulled out of Qayara airfield yesterday in line with plans to withdraw from bases across Iraq and consolidate in Baghdad and at Ain al-asad Air Base in the country’s western desert. The plan was in the works since late last year, a senior coalition military official said last week, and accelerated when Iraqi forces proved they were capable of facing the threat from the Islamic State with limited coalition assistance.
Qayara is the second Iraqi base coalition-troops have pulled out from this month.
Coalition spokesman Myles Caggins said several hundred troops would depart the base in coming days.
Troops withdrew from alqaim base on the border with Syria last week.
Mr Caggins said: “Our partnership continues with the Iraqi security forces, but in the future you will see less coalition troops in fewer places with fewer bases.”
France said late on Wednesday that it would pull out all of its military forces from Iraq, citing the need for French forces to help fight the new coronavirus at home. Mr Caggins said that only French trainers had gone home over coronavirus fears and that France continues to provide advisers and air support.
Three Iraqi officials meanwhile said the US would keep letting Iraq import gas and power from neighbouring Iran without facing American sanctions.