By Xinhua
Baghdad : Mortar shelling on Friday hit central Baghdad, killing two of the guards of Iraq’ vice president Tariq Al-Hashmi, a local TV station reported. The TV station affiliated with Al-Hashmi’s party said two of the guards of the vice president were killed and four civilians were injured when mortar shells landed near his office in the international zone.
An Interior Ministry source said earlier that two of his guards were injured.
It is not immediately clear if his office was intentionally targeted.
The international zone, or Green Zone, hosts the Iraqi government facilities and the U.S. and British embassies. It has been under constant mortar or rocket attacks since clashes between the security troops and Shiite militias broke out four days ago.
Two Americans have been killed in the past attacks. The U.S. government has asked its embassy staff to stay in reinforced buildings.