Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Fire breaks out in U.S. base
Security
A fire broke out at an ammunition holding area at Forward Operating Base Falcon in Dora, southern Baghdad on Tuesday night, setting off a series of explosions from detonating tank and artillery shells that shook buildings miles away. The U.S. military said there were no immediate reports of casualties. It was not clear whether the ammunition holding area at FOB Falcon was hit by an attack. The cause of the fire was not immediately known, said Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, a military spokesman.
The Islamic Army in Iraq, an insurgent group believed to include former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party, his intelligence service and army, claimed responsibility Wednesday in a statement posted on the Internet. "With the help of God, the mortar and rocket squads of the Islamic Army have shelled a U.S. Army base with two rockets and three mortar shells," said the statement posted on a Web site known to be used by insurgents. "The rockets and shells fell on ammunition dumps causing them to explode. Sounds of explosions were heard in Baghdad." The authenticity of the statement could not be immediately verified.
