A series of rockets or mortars has struck Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, home to the U.S. Embassy and Iraqi government headquarters.
At least 10 blasts were heard inside the 10-square-kilometer complex Saturday, as authorities warned people to take cover. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The Green Zone has been a frequent target of rocket and mortar attacks. The U.S. military has blamed the attacks on Iranian-backed Shi'ite militants who have broken away from radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Sadr announced Friday that he is extending a truce between his Mahdi army militia and U.S. and Iraqi forces for another six months. The truce has been credited for reducing violence in Iraq by 60 percent since June.
In another development the U.S. military says it has detained a total of 14 suspected terrorists in operations Saturday and Friday aimed at disrupting al-Qaida operations in central Iraq.
Also, the head of the Iraqi Journalists Union was shot and seriously wounded in Baghdad Saturday. Shihab al-Timimi, who is in his mid-70s, was attacked by gunmen in a speeding car while driving with his son.
Source: By VOA News
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