Twin Rockets target Baghdad’s Green Zone, intercepted by US C-RAM: Military
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Two rockets launched toward Baghdad’s Green Zone on Monday overnight were intercepted by US-installed C-RAM defense system, without causing any casualties, Iraq’s top military source announced.
“Two rockets fell in Baghdad’s Green Zone at 1 a.m. on Tuesday,” Iraq’s Security Media Cell announced, adding they were launched from the Ali Saleh neighborhood north of the capital city Baghdad.
“The rockets were intercepted by C-RAM defense system,” the Cell revealed. No causalities were reported from the incident, the source added.
However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Reports in July indicated that the US has installed air defense systems, such as Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) and Patriot batteries, to protect its diplomatic and military personnel that usually come under rocket attacks.
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The attack comes as the US previously announced it would draw down its military presence in Iraq from nearly 5,000 troops to around 3,000 soldiers.
Since earlier this year, the US has been consolidating its positions in Iraq, moving troops to a smaller number of bigger bases, in part for the reasons McKenzie cited, but also as a force protection measure.
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Multiple areas within the Green Zone have been commonly targeted by often improvised rockets in attacks Washington and most international observers have blamed on Iranian-backed Shia militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Additionally, frequent rocket attacks also on military installations hosting military advisors of the US-led Coalition to defeat the Islamic State occurred with regularity over the past few years.
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany