US contractor killed in Iraq rocket attack, troops wounded
A US defense contractor was killed and several
American and Iraqi troops were wounded Friday in a rocket attack in northern
Iraq, US officials said.
According to officials, the attack involved as many
as 30 rockets fired at the Iraqi military compound near Kirkuk, where US
service members are also based.
Officials did not provide the exact number of troops
wounded in the attack or the severity of the injuries. They spoke on condition
of anonymity to describe details before they were made public.
Such attacks have taken place on several occasions
over the past few months, with US officials for the most part blaming
Iran-backed fighters.
Iraq has been roiled since Oct. 1 by protests that
have left more than 450 people dead, the vast majority of them demonstrators
killed by security forces firing tear gas and live ammunition. The mass
uprisings prompted the resignation of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi
late last month.
