US military bases attacked in Iraq
Deadliest raid on US forces since May 2009:
Iraq: Iraqi security officials say the US military bases have come
under rocket attacks, in the deadliest raid on the American forces since
May 2009. There are currently about 50,000 US soldiers in Iraq According
to the Iraqi officials, six rockets have hit a US military base in the
southern city of Nassiriya. There is no immediate report on possible
damage to the base. On Friday, another US military base was attacked in
the northeastern city of Baqouba, the capital of Diyala province.
Earlier, the US military said in a brief statement that “five US
service members were killed Monday in central Iraq,” but gave no
additional details on the attack.
Iraq’s interior ministry said the troops were killed when a barrage
of rockets hit Camp Victory in the southwestern outskirts of Baghdad.
Washington officially ended combat operations in Iraq in August last
year and according to American officials, the US army only acts as an
advisor and help to the Iraqi security forces.
However, there have been numerous reports about the involvement of
the US troops in military operations in Iraq. There are currently about
50,000 US soldiers in Iraq, who are due to leave the country by the end
of this year in line with the 2008 US-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement
(SOFA).
At the time, several prominent Iraqi figures, among them Muqtada al-Sadr,
protested the passing of the SOFA accord, arguing that it violates
Iraq’s sovereignty and legitimizes the occupation.
Press TV |