IRAQ: Four policemen killed and six others wounded after gunmen attack a manned checkpoint in southern Baghdad.

Record ID: 354853

  • Title: IRAQ: Four policemen killed and six others wounded after gunmen attack a manned checkpoint in southern Baghdad.
  • Date: 22nd December 2005
  • Summary: EXTERIOR OF YARMOUK HOSPITAL WITH PEOPLE OUTSIDE
  • Embargoed: 6th January 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: War / Fighting,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVAERLA41MNJNK73UHITGROYLHHQ
  • Story Text: Gunmen attacked a checkpoint manned by Iraqi police in southern Baghdad on Thursday (December 22) hours before the resumption of the trial of former President Saddam Hussein, killing four policemen and wounding six others, police said. They said that gunmen in three cars attacked an Iraqi police checkpoint under al-Mikanik Bridge in Baghdad's southern neighbourhood of Dora.

    The attackers managed to flee, leaving behind one of their cars after it failed to work. Suspecting the car of carrying explosives, U.S. forces and Iraqi police rushed to the site, blocked off the area and opened fire at the car to detonate it . Minutes later a remote-controlled robot was brought into detonate it. "Gunmen in three Opel vehicles attacked 10 (policemen) who were on duty here from 0600 to 0800 (a.m. local time). One of the (attackers) vehicles was broken down and was left there. It is a bobby-trapped. The gunmen came from there and one car from this direction and the third from that direction surrounding them (police) from all sides," said an Iraqi soldier at the site.

    The attack comes after a relative lull in violence in the Iraqi capital in recent days as Iraq sealed off its borders, and shut down vehicular traffic during last week's parliamentary elections. Attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces have resumed since the lockdown was lifted, as a Sunni Arab-led insurgency continues to battle against the Shi'ite and Kurdish-led government.

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