Baghdad diplomatic compound was a target to rocket attack: US embassy

Shafaq News/ A rocket attack targeted a US diplomatic facility in Baghdad on Tuesday, the US embassy said, in the latest such incident to hit the Iraqi capital.

In a statement, the embassy said that an unidentified group had launched rockets at the Baghdad Diplomatic Support Compound, a US diplomatic facility located near Baghdad International Airport. There were no reported casualties, but assessments of the damage were ongoing.

The embassy said that the attack did not occur at or near Camp Victory, a former US military base that was handed over to the Iraqi government in 2011. "There is no US military base at Camp Victory," the statement asserted.

US Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski condemned the attack on social media platform X, calling for an end to such actions against diplomatic missions. She expressed gratitude for the Iraqi government's swift response and reiterated the need for continued cooperation to protect diplomatic staff and facilities.

An Iraqi security source told Shafaq News Agency that three rockets were fired at the targeted location early Tuesday morning. One landed near the facility, another struck the headquarters of the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service's 2nd Regiment, and the third fell near the civilian airport runway.

Rocket attacks on US and coalition forces in Iraq have become increasingly common in recent years, often attributed to Iran-backed paramilitary groups. While such attacks have decreased in frequency since a US airstrike killed a top Iranian general in 2020, they have not ceased entirely. The attacks were almost non-existent since the formation of Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani's government.