The U.S. military said on Monday it had killed 22 fighters who attacked an Iraqi checkpoint in northeastern Baghdad under cover of an overnight dust storm. The attack was one of the biggest in weeks.
It took place late on Sunday about the same time as a barrage of rockets struck the Green Zone, Reuters reported. The dust storms grounded U.S. helicopters. The military said in a statement its soldiers used tanks to return fire on attackers who struck a joint U.S.-Iraqi checkpoint in northeast Baghdad.
The U.S. forces killed "22 criminals", it said, adding: "The criminals' small-arms fire was ineffective and there were no U.S. or (Iraqi security force) casualties in the attack."
Additionally, American forces said on Monday they had killed 16 fighters in further clashes on Sunday.
Iraqi police said eight missiles or mortars bombs hit the Green Zone and 14 fell in other parts of the Iraqi capital before nightfall in several quick bursts, killing two people and wounding 20. At least one more barrage of missiles was fired later.
