SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The United States has provided 30 armored vehicles to the Iraqi military to assist in securing Baghdad’s Green Zone, the U.S. embassy to Iraq said on Wednesday.
The U.S. embassy in Baghdad said in a post to its official Facebook page that the vehicles were presented to the Special Command Division (SCD) at al Assad Air Base on Monday.
“The United States is committed to helping the Iraqi military maintain the security of Iraq and Baghdad,” the U.S. embassy added.
“This contribution is one part of a larger plan by the U.S. Military’s Office of Security Cooperation – Iraq to support the SCD in securing the heart of Baghdad. We will continue working together to guarantee a stable and secure future for the Iraqi people.”
The heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings, the U.S. embassy and other foreign missions, has been attacked by Katyusha rockets recently.
A volley of rockets exploded near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on December 20, as tensions mount ahead of the anniversary of the U.S. killing of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on Iraqi soil.
Following the rocket attack, U.S. President Donald Trump warned on December 23 that he would hold Iran responsible if an American was killed.
Trump said the rockets were from Iran and “we hear chatter of additional attacks against Americans in Iraq.”
The Iraqi military said that an “outlaw group” fired the rockets at Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings, U.S. Embassy and other foreign missions.
Washington blames Iran-backed militias for regular rocket attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq, including near the embassy. No known Iran-backed groups have claimed responsibility.
