SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Head of Iraq’s Fateh al-Alliance Hadi al-Amiri called on the security forces to protect diplomatic missions in the country, shortly after three rockets fell in Baghdad’s Green Zone.
The Green Zone hosts foreign embassies and government buildings and is regularly the target of rockets fired by groups that U.S. and Iraqi officials say are backed by Iran.
Three rockets hit Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Monday night, according to the Iraqi military. The attack caused no casualties, but damaged four vehicles belonging to civilians.
Amiri condemned the rocket attacks targeting diplomatic missions and civilians in the country.
“It is an unjustified act under any pretext,” Amiri said. “The government must fulfil its responsibility to protect the prestige of the security forces in order to do their duty in the best way.”
Most attacks cause no casualties but the latest incident is the third rocket attack in Iraq in just over a week to target areas hosting U.S. troops, diplomats or contractors, including one that killed at least one non-American civilian working with the U.S.-led coalition.
Spokesman of the U.S. State Department Ned Price said on Monday that Washington was outraged by rocket attacks on Coalition forces and others in Iraq but stressed it would not “lash out”.
“We have seen the reports of the rocket fire today … as you heard us say in the aftermath of the tragic attack in Erbil, we are outraged by the recent attacks,” Price told reporters.
