Two die in Baghdad mortar attack

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Two Iraqis have been killed and 10 others injured by a mortar attack on the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, a US official has said.

At least nine mortars landed in the walled compound, where Iraqi government offices and the US embassy are located, in the second attack in two days.

On Tuesday, nine people, including five US contractors, were injured when the same area was shelled by militants.

The attacks come in spite of heightened security in the Iraqi capital.

The shells landed near the US and British embassies in the compound, officially known as the International Zone, at 1600 (1200 GMT) on Wednesday.

Despite the attacks' apparent target, no American or British nationals were hurt.

Eight of the injured were Iraqis, but the nationalities of the remaining two have not been released.

The BBC's James Shaw in Baghdad says that despite the fact that the Green Zone is surrounded by concrete walls and checkpoints manned by armed guards, the phenomenon of rockets and mortars landing there is becoming a more common occurrence.

Nevertheless, casualties are still relatively rare because the 9 sq km (3.5 square mile) compound contains many large open spaces.