SAMARRA, Iraq — A volley of rockets slammed into an Iraqi airbase north of Baghdad the place US forces have been primarily based, wounding 4 native troops, the Iraqi army mentioned on Sunday.
The assertion mentioned eight Katyusha-type rockets landed on Al-Balad airbase, wounding two Iraqi officers and two airmen.
Al-Balad is the principle airbase for Iraq’s F-16s, which it purchased from the US to improve its air capacities.
The bottom had held a small US Air Power contingent, in addition to American contractors, however a majority have been evacuated following tensions between the US and Iran, over the previous two weeks, army sources informed AFP.
“About 90 p.c of the US advisers, and workers of Sallyport and Lockheed Martin who’re specialised in plane upkeep, have withdrawn to Taji and Erbil after threats,” one of many sources mentioned.
“There are not more than 15 US troopers and a single airplane at al-Balad,” the supply added.
Army bases internet hosting US troops have been topic to volleys of rocket and mortar assaults in current months which have principally wounded Iraqi forces, but additionally killed one American contractor final month.
That loss of life set off a sequence of dramatic developments, with the US finishing up strikes in opposition to a pro-Iran paramilitary group in Iraq in addition to a convoy carrying high Iranian and Iraqi commanders exterior Baghdad airport.
Professional-Iran factions in Iraq have vowed revenge for these raids, whilst Iran mentioned it had already responded in “proportion” by placing one other western airbase the place US troopers are situated.
Rocket assaults in opposition to Baghdad’s high-security Inexperienced Zone, the place the US and different embassies are primarily based alongside worldwide troops, are nonetheless happening.