Iraq summons U.S., British ambassadors over airstrikes on military bases

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Friday it summoned the U.S. and British ambassadors to Iraq following the overnight airstrikes on military bases housing paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces.

"Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim ordered to summon the U.S. and British ambassadors to Baghdad during an emergency meeting," Ahmed al-Sahaf, the ministry spokesman, said in a statement.

At least five security members and a civilian were killed in overnight U.S. airstrikes on military bases housing paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces south of Baghdad, the Iraqi military said earlier on Friday.

The airstrikes came after Wednesday's rocket attack on Camp Taji north of Baghdad that killed two U.S. soldiers and one British service member and wounded a dozen others.

The military bases housing U.S. troops across Iraq and the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad have been frequently targeted by insurgent mortar and rocket attacks.

Over 5,000 U.S. troops have been deployed in Iraq to support Iraqi forces in battles against the Islamic State, mainly for training and advisory purposes.