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Guards to Iraq’s vice president killed

BAGHDAD (AP) — Extremists lobbed more rockets or mortars against the U.S.-protected Green Zone Friday in Baghdad, with some falling short and killing two guards outside the Iraqi vice president’s office.

Lubna al-Hashemi, the daughter of Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, said at least five other guards were injured when rockets or mortars hit the courtyard outside her father’s offices.

She said her father was praying at the time and was not in the offices.

A thick cloud of smoke was seen over the zone Friday shortly after the first rounds hit.

Much of al-Hashemi’s staff has been told to stay home from work since Tuesday, an official in al-Hashemi’s office said, speaking on condition of anonymity for lack of authorization to release the information.

The Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and much of the Iraqi government, has been hit near daily since Sunday as anger grows over a crackdown against followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

At least two American civilians have been killed and several others wounded in the attacks, U.S. officials have said.

The U.S. military has blamed many of the attacks on what it calls Iranian-backed breakaway factions of al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army.