SULAIMANI (ESTA) — A U.S. civilian contractor died of heart attack during a rocket attack at Iraq’s Ain al-Asad air base that hosts U.S.-led Coalition troops, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
At least 10 rockets landed at Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq on Wednesday. The Iraqi military said the attack did not cause “any significant losses”.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the contractor “suffered a cardiac episode while sheltering and sadly passed away shorty after”.
“Preliminary indications are that approximately ten rockets were fired from points of origin east of the base,” Kirby said in a statement.
He further said the C-RAM air defense system at the air base engaged in defense of the U.S. forces.
It was the second rocket attack in Iraq this month and came two days before Pope Francis is due to visit the country.
An Iraqi security source and a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity told Reuters that the rockets were launched from the Baiader area, west of Baghdadi city.
