3 US service members injured in rocket attack near Baghdad

BAGHDAD — A barrage of rockets hit a base housing U.S. and other coalition troops north of Baghdad on Saturday, Iraqi security officials said, just days after a similar attack killed three servicemen, including two Americans.

The U.S.-led coalition said at least 25 107mm rockets struck Camp Taji just before 11 a.m. Some struck the area where coalition forces are based, while others fell on air defense units, the Iraqi military statement said.

Five people were wounded in the attack, including three coalition members and two Iraqi soldiers, according to spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition Myles Caggins.

Jonathan Hoffman, chief Pentagon spokesman, said later that three U.S. service members were wounded in the Camp Taji attack. Two of them were seriously wounded and are hospitalized.

He said Iraqi security forces have made an initial arrest.

Hoffman also repeated Defense Secretary Mark Esper's comments from this month, saying, “You cannot attack and wound American service members and get away with it. We will hold them accountable.”

A statement from Iraq's military said the “brutal aggression” wounded a number of air defense personnel who remain in critical condition.

Iraqi forces later discovered seven platforms from which the rockets were in the Abu Azam area, north of Baghdad. Another 24 missiles were discovered in place and ready to launch.

The attack was unusual because it occurred in the day. Previous assaults on bases housing U.S. troops typically occurred at night.

The election commission in oil-rich Guyana has declared that the governing coalition won the country's disputed vote, despite international concerns about the credibility of the process.

The commission said late Friday that it will move to verify vote totals in the March 2 general election as international observer groups said the tallying was flawed.

Coalition officials said they plan to swear in retired army Gen. David Granger, 74, on Monday to a second five-year term in office.

An observer team from the Washington-based Organization of American States said its final report in the coming weeks will reflect dissatisfaction with the voting system.