By Xinhua
Baghdad : Three American citizens working for the U.S. government were wounded by an indirect fire attack on Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Wednesday, U.S. embassy said.
“I can confirm that there was an indirect fire attack on the Green Zone, and that three U.S. government officials were seriously injured,” Mirembe Nantongo, U.S. embassy spokeswoman told reporters in Baghdad.
Indirect fire attack refers to mortar or rocket attack in the terms of the U.S. military statements.
Earlier in the day, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua that four mortar rounds struck the Green Zone at about 5:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT).
Another mortar barrage of four rounds landed on the area at about 9:00 a.m. (0600 GMT), the source said on condition of anonymity.
Emergency sirens were heard in the highly protected area which houses the government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. one.
Plumes of black smoke were seen rose over the area, while U.S. helicopters flew overhead.
The new wave of attacks on the Green Zone came as clashes between Shiite Mahdi Army militia and U.S.-backed Iraqi security forces spread in Baghdad and some other Iraqi cities.
Insurgents frequently targeted the Green Zone by mortars and rockets. The roughly 10 square km area is located on the west bank of the Tigris River which bisects the Iraqi capital.