Mortars strike deep into coalition fortress

Insurgents struck at the centre of the US-led occupation of Iraq last night, firing mortars at the heavily guarded district that includes major American facilities.

Three people were wounded, the Pentagon said.

Early today, a US army compound in the northern city of Mosul was hit by rocket-propelled grenades but there were no casualties.

Huge explosions thundered throughout central Baghdad as the insurgents targeted the two square-mile “Green Zone,” which includes coalition headquarters, the military press centre and other key facilities.

Iraqi police said two mortars fell in the zone, but US officials said the headquarters itself, in one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces, was not damaged.

However, the huge detonation sent coalition staffers running into the hallways. It was the second mortar attack against the Green Zone in as many days.

At the Pentagon, spokesman Lt Col Jim Cassella said three people were wounded in the attacks but it was unclear if they were military or civilians.

Cassella said there appeared to have been three explosions, possibly from mortars or rockets.

The deteriorating security situation has prompted the United Nations, the international Red Cross and other international organisations to reduce their foreign staffs.

Spain announced it would withdraw 25 of the 29-member Spanish diplomatic staff from Baghdad.

Most will be relocated to Amman, Jordan. Spain has about 1,300 soldiers in Iraq and was one of the strongest supporters of the US-led invasion.

Violence persisted on Tuesday when a roadside bomb killed a 1st Armoured Division soldier and wounded two others in Baghdad.

In the northern city of Mosul, insurgents using small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades attacked a hotel housing American troops but caused no casualties, the military said.

Three grenades hit the building and two others landed in the compound as US forces returned fire.

A police station in Mosul was also struck overnight by a rocket-propelled grenade.