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Green Zone comes under missile attack during Bush''s visit

BAGHDAD, Dec 14 (KUNA) -- A rocket attack targeted the Green Zone, downtown Baghdad, Sunday evening while visiting U.S. President George W. Bush was holding talks with Iraqi leaders.
Loud explosion of a Katyusha missile was heard at 7:30 pm. (local time) as Bush was set to sign the U.S.-Iraqi Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), a security official said.
No reports about the possible casualties or of damage resulting from the attack were available so far and the U.S. Army and embassy have yet to comment on it.
Bush, who arrived here earlier Sunday on his last official visit to Iraq as a U.S. president, is scheduled to hold talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki later this evening.
The signing ceremony of the long-awaited SOFA is expected gather large numbers of Iraqi government officials and U.S. embassy staffers.
The deal provides that the U.S. combat forces should leave the Iraqi urban areas by late June, 2009, and leave the country by 2011.
Bush, on his fourth visit to Iraq, plans to bid farewell to US troops deployed there. His last visit took place in September, 2007. (end) mhg.gb KUNA 142059 Dec 08NNNN