3 rockets strike near Baghdad airport

BAGHDAD — Three Katyusha rockets struck near the military sector of the Baghdad airport early today but caused no casualties, the Iraqi military says.

The attack came hours ahead of a parliament session that will vote on the proposed government of the latest prime minister-designate, Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Iraqi security forces later discover the launching pad for the rockets in the al-Barkiya area, west of Baghdad. No group immediately claims responsibility for the attack.

An Iraqi security official, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, says one of the rockets struck close to Iraqi forces at the military airport, another near Camp Cropper, once a US detention facility, and the last near to where US forces are stationed at the base. Sadaam Hussein was held in Camp Cropper prison prior to his execution.

The US has accused Iran-backed militias of carrying out such attacks in the past. Several attacks targeted US interests early in March, including three military bases known to house US troops. The US-led coalition has withdrawn from several bases across Iraq in a planned drawdown.

The attack is the first following a brief lull since March 26, when rockets struck near to the Baghdad Operations Command, a center that coordinates Iraq’s police and military forces. The command is a few hundred meters (yards) from the US Embassy, which has also been a frequent target of rocket attacks.

— AP