World War 3: Troops under attack as two rockets fall in Iraqi military base

The rockets fell at the Taji base, which is about 15km (nine miles) north of Baghdad, no casualties have yet been reported. This isn’t the first time the Taji base has been targeted. Earlier this year in March, three service personnel and two Iraqi’s were injured in a rocket attack on the military base.

At the time, the Iraqi military said more than 30 rockets were fired at Camp Taji base.

For camp Taji, this was the second attack in one week, as on the following Wednesday, rockets killed two American troops and one British soldier there.

The US decided to then respond with airstrikes targeting an Iranian-backed militia.

But according to Iraqi officials, both Iraqi soldiers and policemen were killed during these strikes.

The US also had an unfortunate incident at camp Taji back earlier this month as a US military plane ended up crashing into the military base.

It was reported that a US Air Force C-130 jet crashed after overrunning the runway and striking a wall.

According to a statement issued by the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, four service members received “non-life-threatening injuries” and are being treated at the base’s medical facility.

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There have been over 30 attacks since October, targetting American troops or diplomats, severely straining ties between Baghdad and Washington.

These tensions reached boiling point in January as a drone strike conducting by the US, killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Washington has accused armed groups backed by Iran, Iraq’s powerful neighbour and the US’s top regional foe, for the repeated rocket attacks.

It has also blamed the Iraqi government for not doing enough to protect US installations.

As part of the talks, the US pledged to continue reducing in-country troop levels, which numbered about 5,200 last year.

Iraq, meanwhile, vowed to “protect the military personnel” operating on its territory as part of the US-led coalition fighting remnants of the Islamic State group.

In terms of this evenings events, No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

source: express.co.uk