BAGHDAD, Jan 27: A huge explosion thundered across central Baghdad shortly before sunset on Saturday when what appeared to be a rocket slammed to earth just inside the heavily fortified Green Zone.

The attack was the second in three days on the district, home to the US Embassy, the Iraqi government and thousands of American troops. Six people were wounded, none seriously, in a rocket attack at about the same time on Thursday.

The US government public address system could be heard to warn people to “duck and cover” and to stay away from windows.

The projectile kicked up a cloud of smoke and dust just inside concrete blast walls that separate the zone from the Tigris River.—AP