The Iraqi army announced on Wednesday evening that rockets fell on Balad Air Base, which hosts American contractors. The Iraqi army stated in a statement that the Katyusha rockets "did not cause any injuries." A security source explained to "AFP" that "three rockets fell outside the base" in a nearby village, while two landed "near the American company's facility responsible for aircraft maintenance" located at the base. The source indicated that there were no recorded injuries or damages.
The rocket fire came just hours after Iraqi authorities released the prominent leader of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Qassem Musleh. Iraqi forces arrested Musleh in late May on charges of involvement in the assassination of activist Ihab Al-Wazni in Karbala, south of Baghdad. He was released today "due to insufficient evidence." Military and diplomatic sites associated with the West are continually subjected to rocket and bomb attacks in Iraq, which American officials and Iraqi authorities attribute to militia factions close to Iran. Both the United States and Iran have a military presence in Iraq, with the U.S. leading the international coalition that has been assisting Baghdad in combating ISIS since 2014, with around 2,500 troops deployed in the country. On the other hand, Iran supports armed factions, including the Popular Mobilization Forces, which are integrated into the Iraqi government.
