US embassy outpost in Iraq hit by rockets-police

BAGHDAD, Nov 11 (Reuters) - A regional office of the US embassy in Hilla was hit by up to 10 rockets, Iraqi police in the town said today.

A US spokesman said no embassy personnel were injured. The US military had no immediate comment on the report.

Iraqi police Captain Muthanna al-Mamouri said police had found a rocket launcher used to fire 10 rockets from around 5 km (3 miles) north of the US embassy compound in central Hilla, south of Baghdad in the capital of Babil province.

The compound is housed in a hotel on the banks of a river in the centre of town and is guarded by civilian contractors as well as US military. Mamouri said police had seen smoke rising from the compound but he had no information on casualties.

''No State Department personnel were injured,'' said Mike McClellan of the US embassy, adding that he had no information on the specific details of the attack.

US bases and other sites associated with the US-led forces in Iraq, such as the international Green Zone in Baghdad, frequently come under attack from mortars and rockets, usually without causing casualties.

Fired from several kilometres (miles) away, the mortars and rockets are usually not very accurate.

REUTERS MQA VC1700