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
