According to CNN on the 20th, the Iraqi president said that the rocket attack on Baghdad’s “Green Zone” on Sunday night was a “terrorist act” and damaged Iraq’s international reputation.
In a statement, the Iraqi military said that unknown personnel fired eight rockets into the high-security area, one of which landed near an Iraqi security checkpoint, injuring at least one Iraqi soldier.
Most of the rockets hit the residential area of Cardisia near the U.S. Embassy, damaging several buildings and several cars. The U.S. Embassy said that the embassy building was slightly damaged, but there were no casualties.
In a written statement, a spokesman for the President of Iraq said, “The attack on the Green Zone is a terrorist act, endangering the safety and lives of innocent citizens and their property.
This is an action against Iraq’s national sovereignty and international efforts to maintain national prestige. Targeting diplomatic missions will damage Iraq’s international reputation and diplomatic relations.”
The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad issued a statement on social media Facebook, saying that the embassy activated an air defense system to intercept rockets. Witnesses said that the U.S. Embassy activated the C-RAM air defense system to intercept incoming rockets.
The U.S. Embassy said in a statement that “there was some minor damage to the embassy building, but there were no casualties. We have received reports of damage to residential areas near the U.S. Embassy, and some innocent Iraqi civilians may be injured.
In a statement, the U.S. Embassy called on Iraqi leaders to “take measures to prevent such attacks and hold those responsible accountable”. The statement said, “such attacks on diplomatic facilities violate international law and are a direct attack on the sovereignty of the Iraqi government.”
In an earlier statement, the Iraqi military said that an “illegal organization” fired rockets from Rashid camp in southern Baghdad.
According to the report, Iraq’s “Green Zone” is often targeted by rocket attacks. Unknown personnel have fired rockets at the “Green Zone” to protest against the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq.
The Iraqi military said that in an attack last month, seven rockets landed in the area, killing at least one child and injuring five other civilians.
Shortly before the November 17 attacks, the Trump administration announced that the United States would withdraw thousands more U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan by January 15, 2021, when it is expected to leave about 2,500 U.S. troops in each of the two countries.
