Two rockets aimed at Baghdad's Green Zone intercepted by US air defence system: Iraqi military

15-09-2020
Shahla Omar
Shahla Omar
A+ A-

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Two rockets aimed at Baghdad's Green Zone just after midnight on Tuesday were "intercepted" by a US-deployed missile defence system, state media reported Iraqi Security Media Cell as announcing.

The Katyusha rockets were fired at 1 am on Tuesday morning from the Ali Saleh neighbourhood in the north of the Iraqi capital, the Cell said, but were "intercepted in the air by the C-RAM system". 

No casualties or losses resulted from the attack, the Cell's statement added.

The US began deploying more air defence systems earlier this year, as attacks by Iran-backed militias on military bases with a US presence as well as diplomatic targets in Baghdad's Green Zone grew in size and frequency.

Among them is the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system, designed to defend against drones and small rockets.

While consolidating its troops in fewer bases, the US has also deployed the Patriot air defence system to protect bases housing its personnel against longer-range missile attacks.

The C-RAM system intercepted rocket attacks on the Green Zone and on Baghdad International Airport in July. 

US forces have handed over a number of bases it once controlled to the Iraqi Security Forces. They most recently withdrew from the Taji military base, northern Baghdad province in late August.

Washington announced earlier this month that it would be withdrawing more than 2,000 of its 5,200 Iraq-based troops from the country in the month of September.

Amid US troop movement from bases, Iraqi contractor convoys transporting US-led coalition military equipment have been targeted by IEDs. Most of the attacks have caused only minor damage, according to Iraqi Security Media Cell statements on the attacks.

A convoy transporting US-led Coalition military equipment was hit on Monday by two IEDs – one in Babil province, and one in Diwaniyah, the Cell said yesterday. No casualties or damage were reported in the attack.

Comments

Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.

To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.

We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.

Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.

Post a comment

Required
Required
 

The Latest

Arshad al-Salihi in an interview with Rudaw on October 7, 2024. Photo: Rudaw/Screengrab

Turkmen MP concerned over Iraqi census, opposition to land restitution bill

A Turkmen MP has voiced concerns over the ongoing Iraqi census, citing the lack of clarity regarding its outcomes and the absence of an agreement. The lawmaker also criticized MPs for opposing a bill that would return land confiscated from Kurdish and Turkmen communities to its rightful owners.