Baghdad, September 16: An Iraqi insurgent group has claimed responsibility for a Tuesday rocket attack on Baghdad’s Green Zone, which coincided with US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit.
The Mujahedeen Army described the attack on the heavily fortified area as a ‘reception’ for the American, urging him to deliver a message to President Barack Obama to pull US forces out of Iraq.
The message came in a statement posted online, which was cited on Wednesday by a US monitoring organization, called the SITE Intelligence Group.
“Oh leader of the occupiers, oh head of the infidels and hypocrites, saddle for your departure and pull out from our country,” the statement said.
At least four mortar shells landed near the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone on Tuesday evening, just hours after Biden arrived on an unannounced visit to the Iraqi capital, according to Baghdad officials.
The US intelligence group, however, denied insurgents’ claim of having shot mortars, affirming the projectiles were rockets.
“The Mujahedeen were able to shower the Green Zone and the occupation’s headquarters in Baghdad Airport with six surface-to-surface rockets,” the group said.
Biden was apparently not harmed in the attack.
—–Agencies