Shell Lands Near US Embassy as Biden Visits Iraq
By VOA News
15 September 2009
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq for talks with top Iraqi leaders and to visit American troops.
Iraqi police say several mortar shells were fired Tuesday into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone during Biden's visit to the Iraqi capital. They say one landed near the U.S. Embassy.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
The White House says Biden arrived Tuesday for meetings with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, President Jalal Talabani and the president of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani. Biden will also meet with officials from the U.N. mission in Iraq.
The vice president has been assigned to oversee the Obama administration's policy in Iraq, as the United States takes steps to withdraw all of its combat troops by August 2010.
A White House statement says the vice president will convey a "strong U.S. commitment to Iraq's future and national unity."
Last week, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, said Washington is on track to meet the withdrawal timetable, despite an upsurge in attacks in the country. Hill said the attacks have been an effort to undermine the Iraqi people as U.S. forces gradually leave the country.
This is Biden's third trip to Iraq this year. The Green Zone in Baghdad is home to many foreign embassies and government offices.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
