IRAQ: Two policemen killed and four civilians wounded in attacks across Iraq

Record ID: 355897

  • Title: IRAQ: Two policemen killed and four civilians wounded in attacks across Iraq
  • Date: 21st December 2006
  • Summary: SIGN "BAIJI GENERAL HOSPITAL" PEOPLE CARRYING COFFIN OUT OF HOSPITAL PICKUP CARRYING COFFIN LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 5th January 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA2SJIXX62Y05R3XFLICS216U7J
  • Story Text: U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates had breakfast with U.S. troops on Thursday (December 21) while on visit in Iraq. On the same day a roadside bomb targeting a passing U.S. convoy exploded in northern Baghdad, wounding one civilian, police said.
    Gates had been hearing doubts from war commanders about what could be accomplished by a possible increase of U.S. troops in Iraq, but some of the troops on the ground said it would be a good idea.
    The new defense leader is with a high-level entourage to see what can be done to calm violence in the country as Bush considers his options. Gates is making it clear how important Iraq is to Bush and that his scheduled discussions with Iraqi leaders would be crucial to the advice he takes back to the president.
    In the meantime, violence in Baghdad continues. Witnesses of the blast said that it was caused by a car bomb parked metres away from a petrol station in in al-Qahera district.
    Television footage showed wreckage of car scattered across the scene and firemen nearby.
    On Wednesday (December 20) a suicide car bomber rammed his car against an Iraqi police checkpoint in the northern oil refining town of Baiji, killing two policemen and wounding three others, police said.
    The blast took place near the headquarters of the local governor of the city.
    "A car bomb near the pavement exploded here few minutes ago, wounding two and killing one other, who was taken to hospital. Shootings followed the blast, so we lay on the ground. The sheep here were also killed," an eyewitness said.
    The town, in the restive Sunni Muslim region 180 km (112 miles) north of Baghdad, has seen a sharp increase in violence over past months.
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