Kirkuk, Jan 07: Assailants raked a checkpoint with bullets, killing a policeman and two civilians west of the northern city of Kirkuk today, amid further violence in war-torn Iraq. US troops arrested 80 people in hotbeds of anti-us resistance, where a shadowy and loose alliance of former Baath Party loyalists, Islamic militants, foreign fighters and criminals, have caused mayhem in the post-Saddam Hussein era. In the latest attack on Iraqi police, a checkpoint was ambushed on the road between the northern oil refinery of Baiji and the town of Hawijah, 80 kilometres northeast of Kirkuk. "Unknown gunmen sprayed automatic weapon fire at a police checkpoint ... Killing a policeman and one civilian," said police officer Ahmad Hassan Ali. The civilian's car was stopped at the checkpoint when the gunfire erupted at 7:10 am (0940 IST), the officer said.

The attackers immediately fled.

A policeman was also killed on his way to work near the northeastern city of Baquba yesterday.

Since a wave of suicide car bombings kicked off in August, Iraqi security forces have established checkpoints on the highways to search for suspect individuals.


Meanwhile, US forces raided suspected resistance strongholds in jailed dictator Saddam's home region north of Baghdad.


Bureau Report