An aerial photo taken from a helicopter shows Ain al-Asad air base in the western Anbar desert, Iraq, on Dec. 29, 2019. (Nasser Nasser/AP)
BAGHDAD — At least one Katyusha rocket fell close to the perimeter of a military base that hosts U.S. troops in northern Iraq on Sunday, Iraq's military said.
The rocket fell near the sprawling Ain al-Asad base in western Anbar province but did not explode, the military said in a statement.
There was no significant damage, the statement said. An Iraqi security official said a fence at the perimeter of the base was minimally damaged. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
An investigation by security forces found the projectile had been launched from the nearby al-Baghdadi area.
The attack is the latest targeting the American presence in Iraq. Rockets and, more recently, drones have targeted military bases hosting U.S. troops and the U.S. Embassy in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad.
The regular assaults have been described as disruptive by U.S. contractors working on military bases. Recently, Lockheed Martin relocated its F-16 maintenance teams, citing security concerns.
The U.S. and Iraq are negotiating a timeline for foreign troops to withdraw from the country. Talks began under the former administration of Donald Trump and resumed after President Joe Biden assumed office.
