Arab News

BAGHDAD: A civilian contractor with the US-led coalition in Iraq died of a heart attack during a rocket attack on a western base on Wednesday, Iraqi and Western security sources said.

At least 10 rockets hit the sprawling Ain al-Assad air base in Anbar province , which hosts United States, coalition and Iraqi forces. The sources could not confirm the contractor’s nationality. 
The attack took place at 7:20 am (0420 GMT), coalition spokesman Colonel Wayne Marotto was quoted by AFP as saying.

A Baghdad Operations Command official said earlier that multiple rockets were launched from a location about 8 kilometers from the base.

It was the second rocket attack in Iraq this month and came two days ahead of Pope Francis’s historic visit to Iraq.

The Pope will visit despite deteriorating security in some parts of the country which has seen the first big suicide bombing in Baghdad for three years.

On Feb. 16 a rocket attack on US-led forces in northern Iraq killed a civilian contractor and injured a US service member.

(with Reuters and AFP)