Rockets hit Baghdad’s Green Zone as parliament prepared to meet

At least nine rockets land in and around the fortified area ahead of a parliament session to elect a new president.

Rockets have landed near the Iraqi capital’s Green Zone, home to government buildings and foreign missions, according to a military statement, as a controversial parliament session was about to begin to elect the country’s new president.

Several civilians and members of the security forces were wounded in Thursday’s attack.

Preliminary information suggests at least nine rockets landed in and around the fortified area as the parliament was about to begin its session, which has been boycotted by members of parliament affiliated with powerful Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr.

Quorum was reached to hold the session in the afternoon with at least 269 lawmakers of the 329 attending the session.

One rocket landed in proximity of a mosque in the Allawi neighborhood, near the Green Zone, Abdelwahed said.

The attacks struck after the Coordination Framework, an alliance made up of mostly Iran-backed Shiite parties, submitted a formal letter claiming to be the largest bloc in Parliament.

Agencies