SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraq’s intelligence units seized five rockets prepared to be fired toward Karma district, where Iraqi parliament speaker’s residence is located, the Iraqi military said on Wednesday.
In a statement, Iraqi security media cell said the rockets were seized in Dhra Dijla area in the district, 50 kilometers west of Baghdad.
The seizure of the rockets came after three Katyusha rockets fired at Karma district on Tuesday night.
Iraqi media reported that at least one rocket fell near the house of parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi.
Two civilians were injured in the attack, according to the Iraqi military.
The attack came hours after Iraq’s federal court confirmed the re-election of Halbousi as parliament speaker, following appeals against the first session of the parliament.
“The Federal Supreme Court rejected the appeal of two MPs who demanded the annulment of the inaugural session of parliament on January 9,” in which Halbousi was re-elected, said presiding judge Jassim Mohammed Aboud.
The ruling will allow the resumption of parliament sessions, and along with them deliberations over the selection of a new president, who will in turn choose the next prime minister, to be approved by the legislature.
Iraq’s parliament, newly elected after an October 10 general election in which the powerful Shia Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was the biggest winner, voted to reinstate Halbousi for his second term as speaker on January 9.
Shia parties aligned with Iran and which rival Sadr, opposed the selection of Halbousi.
On January 14, explosions hit the headquarters of Halbousi’s Taqaddum party and Azm party of Sunni Muslim politician Khamis al-Khanjar in Baghdad.
Another explosion hit the house of a lawmaker from Taqaddum party in Baghdad on January 16.
Last week, the office of the second deputy of Halbousi, Shakhawan Abdullah, was also attacked by a bomb in Kirkuk.
There was no claim of responsibility for the attacks.
