Sixteen Baghdad-based soldiers were wounded in four separate attacks over a six-hour period Thursday, according to a Multi-National Forces Iraq news release.
The wounded soldiers were taken to military medical facilities.
Five soldiers were wounded when a rocket-propelled grenade exploded near them in eastern Baghdad as soldiers were inspecting a civil affairs project in Sadr City, a Shia stronghold loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The Baghdad neighborhood, known as Saddam City before the fall of Baghdad, is named after the cleric’s late father.
Coalition officials blamed this first attack on al-Sadr’s Madhi Militia in a news release on the day’s fighting.
“We are deeply disappointed that the Mahdi Militia has brought fighting back to the good people of Sadr City,” Col. Robert Abrams, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, said in the release.
“We have worked tirelessly to restore essential services to the city, and these attacks hamper our efforts,” he said. “It shows the wanton disregard by anti-Iraqi forces for the people of Sadr City.”
The remainder of the soldiers were wounded in various attacks around the city.
He said children as young as 6 were throwing fire bombs at the vehicles, although he didn’t specify where or when this incident occurred.
“Our soldiers did not return fire because they were only children,” he said.
