Iraq: Two Katyusha rockets hit Baghdad's Green Zone, no casualties reported so far

In the latest development, two Katyusha rockets were fired at the heavily fortified Green Zone in Central Baghdad on Wednesday, sources from the Iraqi Interior Ministry informed international media. The armed green zone was attacked before midnight and the two rockets landed in the area where some of the Iraqi government's main offices and the US embassy are situated, international media reported.

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As per reports, there were no immediate reports about casualties, however, sirens were heard in the zone. This comes at the time when Iraqi officials are gearing up for a round of strategic dialogue with the US side on Thursday, June 11 to review the relations between Baghdad and Washington. The officials are also scheduled to discuss the future of US forces in Iraq.

As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

READ | Iraq military: Rocket hit Baghdad Green Zone, minor damages

Tension in Middle East

The two countries are witnessing tension since January 3 when a US drone struck a convoy at Baghdad airport, that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force for Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy chief of Iraq's paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

In the wake of the heightened tension, the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in the country on January 5. So far over 5,000 US troops have been deployed in Iraq to support the Iraqi forces in the battles against the Islamic State militants. These troops also provide training to the Iraqi forces and give them strategic advice.

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(With inputs from agency)