At least 25 killed, dozens wounded in Iraq violence


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Sunday January 28, 2007

Baghdad- Ongoing violence in and around Baghdad claimed at
least 25 more Iraqi lives on Sunday despite beefed-up security and
police raids.
Adel Abdel-Mohsen, adviser to the Minister of Industry, was shot
down by armed militants in Yarmouk district, western Baghdad. His two
daughters and three other accompanies were also killed.

Earlier, and in the same area, an adviser for the Agriculture
Ministry was also killed, reported state Al-Iraqia channel.

The Agriculture Ministry official was accompanying four other
Iraqis in a vehicle when they were shot at by armed militants in
Yarmouk district, western Baghdad. The official, whose name was not
disclosed, and his escorts died instantly.

Another Iraqi was killed, and seven were wounded, when an
explosive device blew up inside a mini-bus in the east of the
violent-marred capital.

Near al-Nedaa, a Sunni mosque northern Baghdad, a person was
killed and nine others were wounded when an explosive-laden car,
parked on the side of the road, blew up.

The street was busy with labourers looking for day jobs.
Separately, eyewitnesses told Deustche Presse-Agentur dpa that mortar
shells fell on a school western Baghdad killing five female students
and wounding 20 others.

In Shiite-dominated Sadr city, eastern Baghdad, a vehicle
exploded, killing at least four people and wounding 32 others.

Meanwhile, according to al-Iraqiya, armed clashes erupted between
Iraqi security forces and "terrorist" groups in Najaf, 180 kilometres
south of Baghdad.

Najaf and neighbouring city Karbala, where more than 25,000
policemen and soldiers were deployed last Tuesday, are currently
swarming with Muslim pilgrims who are celebrating the Shiite Ashura
festival.

In the area of Zarka in Kufa, near Najaf, similar clashes between
militants and Iraqi policeman took place, where US military
helicopters reportedly provided aide during the raid.

In Soueira, 45 kilometres south of Baghdad, armed clashes between
joint Iraqi army and security forces from one side and militants from
another were also reported.

The clashes occurred after the forces cordoned off the village and
started performing house-by-house raids toeing terror suspects.

According to a credible police source, who chose to remain
anonymous, at least three Iraqi servicemen were killed and four
others wounded. A militant was also accidentally injured.

The village that housed the Islamic militants also suffered
"losses" that were not yet assessed by the joint forces, according to
the police source.

Earlier in the day, the joint Iraqi forces had asked for urgent
assistance from the US military, "who carried out an air raid on the
village," causing some damage in the process.

A day earlier, a police station in the same village was attacked
by mortar shells. Reportedly, those responsible for the incident are
among those targeted in Sunday's raid.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency