SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Rockets hit Baghdad's Green Zone
Baghdad, June 18 (AFP) Jun 18, 2020
Rockets hit Baghdad's Green Zone, home to the US embassy, on Thursday, the fifth such attack in 10 days, security sources inside the high-security district told AFP.

AFP journalists heard at least three explosions, followed by the sound of sirens in the Green Zone.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Like previous attacks, there was no claim of responsibility.

Since October, at least 32 attacks have targeted American interests in Iraq that the US has blamed on Iran-backed factions among Iraq's security forces.

It was the second rocket attack near the US embassy since June 8 while other attacks have targeted Baghdad airport, where US troops are stationed, and a base north of the capital.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran reached boiling point in January when the US killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in a drone strike in Baghdad.

Since then, Iraq has a new, US-friendly prime minister and there had been a lull in rocket attacks in recent months.

The resumption of attacks after weeks of calm coincides with the launch on June 11 of a strategic dialogue between Washington and Baghdad that aims to better define their military, economic and cultural relationship, although experts do not expect great results.

As part of the talks, Washington has already pledged to continue reducing in-country troop levels, which numbered about 5,200 last year.

In response to the US drone attack, Baghdad's parliament voted to expel all foreign soldiers from Iraqi territory, but the decision was never implemented.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
SPHEREx completes first full sky infrared map of the cosmos
CoDICE instrument returns first-light particle data for IMAP mission
Webb maps carbon rich atmosphere on distorted pulsar planet

24/7 Energy News Coverage
The Quantum Age will be Powered by Fusion
Physicists map axion production paths inside deuterium tritium fusion reactors
Hybrid excitons speed ultrafast energy transfer at 2D organic interface

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
SDA expands Tracking Layer satellite awards and related missile defense contracts
Space Systems Command activates System Delta 80 for assured space access
Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions to provide SAR reconnaissance data to German military

24/7 News Coverage
Philosopher argues AI consciousness may remain unknowable
Climate driven model explores Neanderthal and modern human overlap in Iberia
Economic losses from natural disasters down by a third in 2025: Swiss Re



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.