The AP, citing Iraqi security officials, is reporting that a rocket attack on an Iraqi base in eastern Baghdad on Monday killed five American troops working as advisers, in the deadliest single attack for the U.S. military since five soldiers were killed in Baghdad in May 2009. The U.S. military has announced that five troops were killed but hasn't provided any additional information. The attack comes on the same day that a suicide bombing in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit killed at least 12 people, including several military officers.

U.S. fatalities in Iraq have become more sporadic since President Obama officially ended combat operations in the country last August, Reuters explains, but the AP adds that the roughly 46,000 U.S. troops who remain in Iraq to support and train Iraqi security forces ahead of this year military withdrawal are still subjected to near-daily rocket and mortar attack in their bases, and gunfire and roadside bombs outside of their bases (the photo above shows U.S. troops training Iraqi soldiers at a Baghdad base in February). Amidst all the violence, there is some positive news coming out of Baghdad today: Reuters reports that Iraq is gradually rebuilding its oil infrastructure by boosting oil production and expanding export facilities.

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Uri Friedman