Two rockets landed near the US embassy in Baghdad overnight, security sources told AFP early Tuesday, with foreign diplomats there reporting emergency sirens repeatedly going off.

The latest attack within the walled-off Green Zone, which hosts foreign embassies and Iraqi government buildings, comes amid heightened tensions between Baghdad's two main allies, Tehran and Washington.

A foreign security source inside the Green Zone said two 100mm rockets hit close to the US embassy and a third fell into the Tigris River, which the embassy overlooks.

"One hit about three meters (ten feet) inside a gate on the embassy compound," the source told AFP.

An Iraqi security source confirmed to AFP that two Katyusha rockets landed near the embassy shortly before midnight.

They were found to have been fired from an area in southern Baghdad where Iraqi paramilitary forces close to Iran hold sway.

The Iraqi military said two projectiles hit the edges of the Green Zone.

None of the sources mentioned any casualties and no group claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Foreign diplomatic sources within the zone said US embassy sirens wailed across the area twice, and stopped shortly before 1:00am local time on Tuesday morning.

The last rocket attack on the Green Zone took place on May 19, just days after the US announced an "ordered departure" of all non-essential diplomatic staff in Iraq.

After decades of back-to-back conflicts, Iraq has enjoyed a period of relative stability since declaring victory over the Islamic State jihadist group in late 2017.

In a sign of the improving security situation, Iraqi authorities have been working since last year to loosen security restrictions around the Green Zone.

Concrete blast walls have been removed and through-traffic has been allowed for the first time in over a decade, but the US embassy remains one of the most highly-secured area in the zone.

Baghdad has also tried to position itself as a potential mediator between the US and Iran, which have been at loggerheads since Washington unilaterally withdrew from the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran last year.

Since that move, tensions have spiralled between the two countries, with Iraq -- where both countries enjoy significant political and military influence -- caught in the middle.

The risk of a proxy war seemed particularly high this summer, when a string of mysterious blasts hit weapons depots and other bases used by pro-Iran paramilitary forces known as the Hashed al-Shaabi.

The Hashed blamed the US and Israel, with its political branch calling the attacks "a declaration of war" and resuming its calls for US troops to leave the country.

Related Links
Iraq: The first technology war of the 21st century

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Seven killed in Baghdad suburb despite anti-IS sweep: security sources
Baghdad (AFP) Sept 22, 2019
Seven people have been killed in three attacks in the northern outskirts of the Iraqi capital, security sources said Sunday, despite the army recently declaring the area swept of jihadists. The overnight attacks Saturday into Sunday targeted the homes of tribal fighters belonging to the powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force, as well as army barracks, in the Sunni suburb of Tarmiya, the sources said. The Tribal Hashed is composed largely of Sunni fighters and feeds into the broader Shiite- ... read more