2 Americans Killed in Camp Taji Attack

Three service members were killed, including two Americans, and a dozen more were injured when a barrage of rockets were fired at a military base in Iraq, US officials say. At least 12 coalition personnel were also injured late Wednesday by a barrage of rockets targeting Camp Taji base, located 17 miles north of Baghdad, according to a US-led coalition statement. One of the officials said five service members were seriously wounded and evacuated from the base and seven others were still being evaluated. Army Col. Myles Caggins said that about 18 107mm Katyusha rockets struck the base and Iraqi security forces found a rocket-rigged truck a few miles from Camp Taji. Such Russian rockets have been used in the past by Iranian-backed militia groups in Iraq, the AP reports.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that a UK soldier had been killed in the “abhorrent” attack on the Taji base. The Ministry of Defense said the soldier was from the Royal Army Medical Corps. Officials did not say what group they believe launched the rocket attack, but Kataib Hezbollah or another Iranian-backed Shia militia group is likely. A military statement from Iraq's joint operations command said caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi has ordered an investigation into what he called "a very serious security challenge and hostile act."

(More Iraq stories.)