25 die in Iraq bloodshed
2005-03-07 14:53
Samarra, Iraq - At least 25 people, mostly Iraqi soldiers, were killed on Monday in a string of attacks against the country's security forces in Balad and Baquba north of Baghdad, police said.
The deadliest attack was in Balad, 70km north of Baghdad, where at least 15 people, including two soldiers, were killed when a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle at the house of an Iraqi army officer.
A US military spokesperson in the area south of the restive city of Samarra confirmed the attack but gave a toll of two killed and nine wounded.
Since Saturday, commandos from Iraq's interior ministry and US troops have closed off entrances to Samarra and launched raids in the city and surrounding areas in search of suspects who might lead them to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the country's most wanted man.
The Iraqi government released on Monday new pictures of the Jordanian-born militant, who has a $25m bounty on his head and is blamed for the worst bombings, showing him bearded and in conversation with someone.
More bloodshed
There was more bloodshed involving Iraqi forces in another restive spot, Baquba, 60km northeast of the capital, in an attack claimed by Zarqawi's group.
Five soldiers were killed when gunmen attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint in the Al-Muradiyah area west of Baquba with rocket propelled grenades and assault rifles, said a US military statement.
"About 20 terrorists in five vehicles attacked the checkpoint," it said adding that one of the assailants was killed.
The attack was claimed by Zarqawi's Organisation of al-Qaeda of Jihad in the Land of Two Rivers, according to a website statement.
"A lion from the martyrs brigade launched a martyr operation about 8.00am (05:00 GMT) against the apostates of the national guard and the police in Baquba," it said in the statement which could not be authenticated.
Separately, two policemen and two civilians were killed when a booby-trapped car parked on a street in Baquba's Al-Mualimeen neighbourhood exploded as an Iraqi police patrol passed, police said.
Another 11 people were wounded including six policemen, medics said.
The policemen had been on their way to help the soldiers attacked at the checkpoint when the car bomb exploded, police said.