Iraq: 11 killed, 17 injured in attacks

ERBIL, DEC. 26 - At least eleven people were killed and 17 others were injured in various attacks across Iraq on Monday, according to police sources.

In Baghdad, a suicide car bomb apparently targeting the Ministry of the Interior went off near the ministry killing 3 people and injuring 14 others.

Following the attack, a second car bomb was thwarted at the ministry's main gate while trying to break into the ministry building.

"Guards at the main gate of the ministry managed to prevent a car bomb attack. The car was driven by a suicide bomber who was shot dead by the guards before he managed to detonated the car," a security source in the ministry told AKnews.

Attacks in Baghdad have seen a surge recently after disputes between sectarian leaders escalated. Iraqi's Shiite Prime Minister has been accused of attempts to sideline the Sunni minority by getting Sunni leaders involved in armed attacked in order to sue them.

In Fallujah city, Anbar province, Insurgents shot dead six policemen and injured three others as they attacked a security checkpoint.

As in the majority of cases, the gunmen escaped arrest after they carry out their attacks on security forces or civilians.

Anbar has been one of the unstable provinces in Iraq since 2003. From 2006 onwards it witnessed relative calm as tribal leaders decided to join the government in its efforts to fight insurgent groups like al-Qaeda. Over the past few months, it has seen some of the deadliest attacks on the government offices.

In a separate attack in the city of Mosul, about 465 km north of Baghdad, insurgents raided the house of an Iraqi army officer and killed him and his father.

"The officer and his father tried to escape as they went upstairs to jump onto the next doors roof. But the gunmen caught them on the roof and killed them while the rest of the family screamed for help" Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Jubouri told AKnews.

Mosul - 362 km north of Baghdad – is the capital of Nineveh province. It is the site of daily bombings and killings. Mosul is the bloodiest of all Iraq's cities when population is taken into account, according to Iraqi Body Count. In recent months targeted attacks against government officials and military officers have been stepped up, often making use of silenced weapons and roadside bombs.

Raber Y. Aziz (AKnews)