Katyusha rockets target Iraqi Taji military camp

Katyusha rockets targeted the Taji military camp, located north of Baghdad, on Tuesday but no casualties were reported. No group claimed responsibility.

The Iraqi base – located 85km (53 miles) north of the capital – hosts a large number of US troops and other foreign forces, making it a target for Iran-backed armed groups after the US assassination of top commander Qassem Soleimani.

At least two Katyusha rockets were fired, an army captain told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

On Sunday, four people were wounded after eight Katyusha rockets were fired at the Al Balad airbase. Military sources identified the wounded as Iraqi soldiers.

The incidents come amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran following Soleimani’s killing and Iran’s retaliatory missile attacks against US targets in Iraq.

The limited Iranian response, which caused no casualties, appeared to be mainly a show of force and de-escalated tensions that had threatened to turn Iraq into a proxy battlefield amid increasing fears of all-out war.