3 killed in attack on Green Zone

A thunderous barrage of mortars or rockets killed at least three people and wounded 18 in the Green Zone on Tuesday, the U.S. Embassy said. One of the dead was an American service member.

An estimated 20 projectiles crashed into the heavily fortified area of Baghdad at about 4:15 p.m.

A U.S. Embassy statement said the dead included one U.S. military member, an Iraqi and a person of unknown nationality.

The 18 wounded included five Americans _ two military and three contract employees _ the embassy statement said.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki warned gunmen a week ago to stop firing rockets and mortar rounds into the Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and several other foreign missions along with some key Iraqi government offices and the Iraqi parliament.

Many of the attacks come from the Mahdi Army, a militia loyal to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who was once al-Maliki's ally, though Sunni insurgents have also carried out mortar attacks.