4 injured after rockets hit Iraqi airbase housing US troops

Baghdad, Jan 13: Several rockets have slammed into an Iraqi airbase where US forces were based. Four local troops have been injured in the strike, the Iraqi military said.
Eight Katyusha-type rockets landed on the Al-Balad airbase, wounding two Iraqi officers and two airmen.

The base is the main airbase for Iraq's F-16s, which it had purchased from the US to upgrade its air capabilities. The base also held a small US Air Force continent. However, a majority of the US forces had been evacuated following tensions with Iran in the past two weeks.

The military bases housing IS forces have been hit by a volley of rockets and mortar attacks in the past two weeks. The pro-Iran forces have vowed revenge after the US killed its top General, Qassem Soleimani.

Meanwhile, ran has signalled that de-escalation is the only solution to solve the crisis with the United States.

The statement by Iran comes in the wake of a passenger aircraft that was accidentally shot down. Security has been stepped up in Iran after a vigil the previous night for those killed in the air disaster. Iran temporarily arrested the British ambassador for being part of the protest against the tragedy.

Meanwhile, US President, Donald Trump tweeted, 'don't kill your protesters. On the other hand, US Defence Secretary Mark Esper said that Trump was still willing to sit down and discuss without a pre-condition a new way forward with Iran. Tehran has however refused any dialogue until sanctions are lifted.

In a meeting between Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and the visiting emir of Qatar, it was decided that de-escalation was the only way forward.