Two explosions rocked Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone in quick succession Thursday and a U.S. military spokesman said there were casualties. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the midday blasts inside the compound, which houses key U.S. and Iraqi government offices, said Lt. Col. James Hutton, a spokesman for the 1st Cavalry Division. He said the blasts caused casualties but he did not immediately have details. Thick black smoke billowed from one of the blast sites, which appeared to be close to the main palace. The Green Zone is a regular target of insurgents, who have frequently fired mortar rounds at the compound. There have also been a number of deadly car bombings at its gates.
