Region | Iraq

Baghdad's Green Zone struck by fresh rocket attacks

Iraq's fortified Green Zone came under renewed attack on Monday, less than 24 hours after anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr called for his fighters to stand down following a week of clashes with government security forces.

  • AP
  • Published: 20:06 March 31, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair travelled by helicopter into the Green Zone when he visited Baghdad.
  • Image Credit: AP
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Baghdad: Iraq's fortified Green Zone came under renewed attack on Monday, less than 24 hours after anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada Al Sadr called for his fighters to stand down following a week of clashes with government security forces.

The rocket or mortar attacks on the nerve center of the US mission and the Iraqi government continued more than a week of near-daily fire mostly from Shiite-dominated areas of eastern Baghdad.

The number of rounds going into the zone has dropped in recent days, but the continuing attacks indicate that Al Sadr may not be able to rein in all Shiite militia factions.

The US Embassy said no serious injuries were reported and the US military said it had no reports of major damage. At least two Americans working for the US government died in attacks on the zone last week.

A key adviser to Iraq's prime minister, meanwhile, said military operations personally overseen by Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki against Al Sadr's followers in the oil-rich southern city of Basra will end within days.

Ali Al Dabbagh, an Iraqi government spokesman, told reporters at a Monday news conference in Baghdad, however, that "operations will not end until Basra reaches a secure and acceptable situation enabling Iraqi citizens to live normal and secure lives."

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