Two Rockets Hit Near Iraq Airbase Hosting US Soldiers

Two rockets hit near an Iraqi airbase three days ahead of a new ‘strategic dialogue’ with US, says a security source, but the US routinely blames Iran-linked Iraqi factions for such attacks

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Two rockets hit near an Iraqi airbase hosting US soldiers north of Baghdad on Sunday, three days ahead of a new “strategic dialogue” with Washington, a security source said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike, which caused no casualties or property damage, but the US routinely blames Iran-linked Iraqi factions for such attacks on its troops and diplomats.

Sunday’s was the 14th attack against American interests - including troops, the Baghdad embassy or Iraqi supply convoys to foreign forces - since US President Joe Biden took office in January.

Two Americans and an Iraqi civilian have been killed in the attacks.

An Iraqi civilian working for a firm maintaining US fighter jets for the Iraqi airforce was also wounded in one attack.

The operations are sometimes claimed by obscure groups experts say are smokescreens for Iranian-backed organisations long present in Iraq.

Qais Al Khazali, a senior pro-Iran figure in the state-sponsored Hashed Al Shaabi paramilitary force, recently declared that the “resistance” was carrying out attacks and would step them up “unless the US withdraws all its combat forces from across Iraq.”