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Korea's Zaytun Division in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil took cover late Sunday evening when four shells presumably fired by insurgents landed near the unit's base compound, the first direct attack on Korean troops since they were deployed to the area last September. There were no casualties among Korean soldiers or civilians, but the division's activity is likely to be curtailed for some time.
"At around 11:00 p.m., there were blasts and flames as two shells landed in wheat fields 500 m south of the Zaytun Division base walls, and two more shells fell in the wheat fields about 200 m south of the base five minutes later,Ħħ the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday. Military authorities believe the blasts likely came from Soviet-made Katyusha rockets and 82 mm mortar shells.
A JCS official said, "Insurgent forces are presumed to have fled immediately after launching vehicle-carried rockets and mortars about 4-5 km away from the base walls." Kurdish militia forces have set up checkpoints and are patrolling the area 3-5 km outside the base walls.
Immediately after the incident, the Zaytun Division beefed up security and took shelter in underground entrenchments. At 11:40 p.m., U.S. helicopters started searching the area.
The incident follows suspension of the Zaytun Division's civil operations after a May 4 car bombing of a police recruitment station in downtown Irbil and intelligence of possible attacks on Korean troops. Meanwhile, political controversy is also possible over whether to accept a UN request for Korean troops to guard an office of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) being constructed in downtown Arbil.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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