At least eight rockets were aimed at the US Embassy in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Sunday, Iraq’s security officers have said. This has renewed fears of unrest as the anniversary of the US slaying Iranian General Qassem Soleimani draws near. The rockets were said to be launched by an outlawed group.
IRGC Commander Qassem Soleimani was killed on January 3 in a drone attack ordered by US President Donald Trump. The rockets caused damage to a residential complex and some cars.
“The US Embassy confirms rockets targeting the International Zone (Green Zone) resulted in the engagement of embassy defensive systems,” the US Embassy said in a statement.
The embassy’s C-RAM defence system destroyed the rockets mid-air, three Iraqi security officials said. The C-RAM system was installed by the US over the summer as armed groups stepped up rocket attacks targeting the embassy and its premises, an AP report reads.
Ahead of the first anniversary of Soleimani’s killing, the US withdrew some staff from its embassy in Baghdad. Soleimani’s killing escalated tensions between the US and Iraq. This led Iraq’s parliament to pass a non-binding resolution days later calling for the expulsion of all foreign troops from Iraq.
Iran-backed militia groups have been blamed for orchestrating the frequent rocket attacks, which have frustrated the Trump administration.
Before Trump leaves office, the US plans to reduce the number of troops from 3,000 to 2,500 in Iraq.
