Thirteen missile launchers were discovered near Baghdad International Airport in Radhwaniya, the Iraqi Defence Ministry said Tuesday (March 27th).

"Army forces found Grad and Katyusha missiles near those launchers, which were hidden using straw, timber and tin sheets and were set to launch within record time of no more than 15 minutes," Maj. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari, the Defence Ministry's official spokesperson, told Al-Shorfa. He said the launchers were aimed at the airport and nearby convention centre and were set to launch when leaders arrived for the Arab League Summit.

The army arrested 34 suspects in an operation using intelligence it obtained, al-Askari said. An al-Qaeda-affiliated cell was behind the planned attack, he said.