On Tuesday, Iraqi officials announced multiple rockets were fired at the diplomatic Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, where the U.S. Embassy is located. The rockets may have been targeting the U.S. Embassy, though their intended target was not immediately clear.
Videos on social media began to emerge purporting to show a Counter rocket, artillery, and mortar system (C-RAM) firing at incoming rockets. Twitter user Aurora Intel posted, “Video of CRAM active over #Baghdad, #Iraq this evening.”
At least 2 “Katyusha” rockets landed in The Green Zone, #Baghdad, #Iraq
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) November 17, 2020
The official account of the security media cell of Iraq’s Prime Minister’s Office, in a translated tweet, said. “4 rockets hit the Green Zone in Baghdad, and it turned out that they were launched from the Al-Amin Al-Thaniyah neighborhood, Al-Alf Dar district in New Baghdad.”
سقوط ٤ صواريخ على المنطقة الخضراء ببغداد، وقد تبين أن انطلاقها كان من حي الامين الثانية منطقة الالف دار في بغداد الجديدة.
— خلية الإعلام الأمني🇮🇶 (@SecMedCell) November 17, 2020
A Facebook account affiliated with the same Iraqi media office reported a child was killed in the rocket attack and five more people were injured. In its translated post, the media office said, “Later to the news of the missiles falling, it turned out that there were 7 rockets, four of them fell in the green zone, and the third rockets fell outside, one fell near the city of medicine, another at the door of Zora Park, and the third exploded in the air, as well as a place Its start was from Al-Pressure Street in Al-Amin district, which resulted in the death of a child and 5 people injured. They are all civilians.”
Two Iraqi security officials told the Associated Press that the rockets struck just 600 meters (2,000 feet) from the U.S. Embassy and were intercepted by the C-RAM air defense system, which the U.S. installed earlier this year. The Iraqi officials told the AP that two Iraqi security personnel were wounded. There have been no reports of injured U.S. personnel at this time.
News of the rocket attack broke around the same time Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller officially announced U.S. plans for troop reductions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. The newly announced troop reduction in Iraq would see about 500 U.S. troops be pulled from the country, reducing the U.S. presence from about 3,000 to about 2,500.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for launching the rockets or their motive.
Aurora Intel tweeted, “Additional footage, the explosion from one of the rockets can be heard in the background.”
4 Rockets landed in The Green Zone, #Baghdad, #Iraq. 2 reportedly landed in the vicinity of the #US Embassy. They were launched from the Al Amin Neighbourhood.
— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) November 17, 2020
“4 Rockets landed in The Green Zone, #Baghdad, #Iraq. 2 reportedly landed in the vicinity of the #US Embassy. They were launched from the Al Amin Neighbourhood,” Aurora Intel added.
