Iraqi Military Confirms Rocket Attack on Its Base Hosting US Troops

The Iraqi military has said thast volley of rockets slammed into one of its airbase in north of Baghdad where US forces have been based, wounding four local troops.

The Iraqi military made this known via a statement, saying eight Katyusha-type rockets landed on Al-Balad airbase, wounding two Iraqi officers and two airmen.

Al-Balad is the main airbase for Iraq’s F-16s, bought from the US to upgrade its air capacities. The base which had held a small US Air Force contingent as well as American contractors, was left by majority of the Americans who were evacuated following tensions between the US and Iran over the past two weeks.

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“About 90 percent of the US advisers, and employees of Sallyport and Lockheed Martin who are specialised in aircraft maintenance, have withdrawn to Taji and Erbil after threats,” one of the sources told AFP.

“There are no more than 15 US soldiers and a single plane at al-Balad,” the source added.

Military bases hosting US troops have been attacked with volleys of rocket and mortar in recent months that have mostly wounded Iraqi forces, but also killed one American contractor last month.

This led to the situation where the US carried out strikes against a pro-Iran paramilitary group in Iraq as well as a convoy carrying top Iranian and Iraqi commanders outside Baghdad airport.

Pro-Iran factions in Iraq had vowed to revenge for those raids, even as Iran said it had already responded in “proportion” by striking another western airbase where US soldiers are located.

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It was gathered that rocket attacks against Baghdad’s high-security Green Zone, where the US and other embassies are based alongside international troops, are still taking place.

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