At least nine people have been killed and more than 70 others wounded in attacks by militants across Iraq, sources say.
In the deadliest incident, gunmen launched a coordinated attack against a shopping mall in the city of Kirkuk, 236 kilometers north of the capital Baghdad, on Wednesday, killing six people, AFP quoted provincial health chief Sabah Mohammed Amin as saying.
The attack against the Jawaher mall started at 1:30 pm (1030 GMT) when a car bomb exploded near the complex, which sits adjacent to a branch of police intelligence.
The blast was quickly followed by shooting between security forces and militants.
The gunmen took some of the shoppers hostage and carried them to the roof of the five-storey building where they started shooting at the security forces, who were struggling to enter the mall.
There were four security personnel, including an officer, among those killed in the attack.
Security forces later managed to release 11 hostages from the mall.
There were four security personnel, including an officer, among those killed in the attack.
There was no claim of responsibility for the attack and officials warned that the death toll could rise as two gunmen were still at large.
Separate attacks in Baghdad, Fallujah, and Tikrit claimed three other lives.
Violence across the country has claimed around 6,200 lives since the beginning of this year.
Iraq’s Interior Ministry has said that militants have launched an open war in Iraq and they want to push the Middle Eastern country into chaos.
“The country is currently facing an open war from bloodthirsty sectarian forces that aim to plunge the country into chaos,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement issued on July 30.
NT/AS/MHB
Post a Comment