BAGHDAD – A rocket slammed into a compound near the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone on Saturday, killing two people.

It's likely the attack reflects the anger of Shiite militias over a new U.S.-Iraqi security pact.

Late Friday, another rocket hit Camp Victory, the main U.S. military compound in Baghdad, the military announced.

Both rocket strikes bore the signs of Shiite militia attacks, and the one targeting the Green Zone was the first reported there in more than a month.

The security pact, which sets a Dec. 31, 2011, deadline for the withdrawal of American forces, passed Parliament on Thursday over the objections of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Although he has held his militia to a cease-fire since August 2007, Mr. al-Sadr also says his brigade has the right to attack Americans if they do not leave Iraq.

The security pact says U.S. combat forces should leave Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009, and pull out of the country by the end of 2011, but Mr. al-Sadr says there are loopholes that could allow the Americans to stay longer.

A statement from the office of Iraq's most influential Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, said Saturday that there was "concern toward the security pact."

The statement said the pact lacked national consensus and was vague. It said the final judgment would come from Iraqis, who are to vote on it in a July referendum. If it's rejected, Iraq's government would be obliged to cancel it or to seek amendments.

Los Angeles Times