Explosion rocks Baghdad Green Zone

BAGHDAD (AFP) - An explosion rocked Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone on Thursday but no details on casualties were immediately available, an official at the US embassy said.

"I can confirm we heard an explosion in the International Zone but we have no information on casualties," the official said. The blast occurred around 8.30 am (0430 GMT)

The Green Zone houses the Iraqi parliament and several other foreign embassies including the British mission, apart from the US embassy.

The zone comes under regular attacks from insurgents and militias who fire rockets and mortars at the highly secured area in central Baghdad.

US authorities say that most of the rockets fired at the zone are manufactured in Iran.