Baghdad: At least five people including two policemen were shot ead when unidentified gunmen traveling in cars opened fire on a police patrol in Iraq, media reported on Thursday.
According to reports the attack which took place in south of Kirkuk also wounded five people, including three policemen,
Brig. Gen. Sarhat Qadir, a senior Kirkuk police official and hospital officials confirmed the casualties.
Kirkuk, which is 180 miles (290 kilometers) north of Baghdad, is the main oil hub in northern Iraq. It’s been the scene of sporadic insurgent violence and ongoing tensions between the region’s three main groups like Kurds, Arabs and Turkomen.
The shooting followed a bombing late Wednesday that killed the Shiite mayor of the town of Mafraq near Baqouba, a former al-Qaida stronghold about 35 miles (60 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. Police said the blast also killed the man’s wife, two sons and daughter.
A medic at Baqouba hospital confirmed the death toll.
Authorities said that leaflets were distributed earlier this week in Baqouba telling Shiites to leave the city or face death.
The Baqouba officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief the media.
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