Italian embassy targeted in Baghdad

Insurgents tried to attack the Italian Embassy in Baghdad with mortar rounds today, but missed and slightly injured two Iraqi civilians, one victim said.

Bassem Mal-allah said from his hospital bed that he and another man were injured during the morning mortar fire.

“I heard an explosion near the embassy and went to see what caused it and then another mortar came in and hit me,” Mal-allah said.

The Italian Embassy has been targeted previously by mortar fire. In September, three Iraqis were slightly wounded in a mortar attack, while one Iraqi was killed in a June barrage. The diplomatic mission was hit and damaged by mortar or rocket fire in November, but there were no injuries.

Italy was one of the strongest supporters of the US-led war in Iraq. It didn’t send combat troops, but has deployed about 3,000 troops to help rebuild the country.