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Baghdad rocked by series of early morning blasts


    BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A series of mortar or rocket explosions rocked Baghdad on Saturday as a siren wailed in the heavily fortified Green Zone, home to the U.S. embassy and Iraqi government, warning people to take cover.

    It was not immediately clear where the missiles landed orwhether there were any casualties, Reuters witnesses said.

    The U.S. military has blamed missile attacks on the GreenZone on so-called "special groups", rogue elements of Moqtadaal-Sadr's Mehdi Army militia they say receives funding andweapons from neighbouring Iran. Iran denies the charge.

    On Friday, Sadr renewed a six-month ceasefire which hefirst called in August to reorganise his splintered militia.The U.S. military welcomed the extension but said it wouldcontinue to hunt down the rogue units.

    (Editing by Michael Winfrey)