Rocket attacks land inside Baghdad Green Zone

July 8, 2021 carleyshaffer1 US 0

Map locates the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq. (AP)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:56 PM PT – Thursday, July 8, 2021

A trio of rockets landed inside Baghdad’s Green Zone on Thursday, causing damage but reportedly injuring no one. Reports said two rockets fell near the national security building and an open courtyard, while a third fell into a residential area.

Officials said the attack destroyed a local mosque. With further surveying of the area, coalition forces said homes and a civilian vehicle were also damaged. Baghdad’s Green Zone houses the U.S. Embassy building, as well as other government buildings.

This comes after a rocket attack on Wednesday that targeted the al-Asad air base in western Iraq, which is known to house U.S. troops.

A member of the Iraqi security forces walks past a destroyed vehicle that was carrying rockets amdist sacks of flour, in the district of al-Baghdadi in al-Anbar province on July 8, 2021. - Fourteen rockets were fired on July 7 at an air base hosting American troops in the western province of Anbar, causing minor injuries to two personnel, the coalition said. The rockets "landed on the base & perimeter" of the Ain al-Assad base, the coalition spokesman tweeted, adding that local homes and a mosque were also damaged. Iraqi security forces said the rocket launcher had been hidden inside a truck carrying bags of flour. (Photo by Ayman HENNA / AFP) (Photo by AYMAN HENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

A member of the Iraqi security forces walks past a destroyed vehicle. (AYMAN HENNA/AFP via Getty Images)

“This is a bad and negative message, which is Iraq still suffers from the use of weapons outside the state’s control,” said the spokesman for joint operations in Iraq, Tahseen Al-Khafaji. “Therefore, the security forces are determined to maintain the security and safety of our country and will chase all those who use weapons outside state control. We will not allow Iraq to become an arena for settling scores.”

It’s believed the attacks were launched by Iran-backed militias amid increased tensions as Washington and Baghdad discuss a timeline for pulling troops from Iraq.