Iraqi Gunmen Clash with Police, Control Town

Local Editor

Iraq's Defense Ministry stressed Thursday that gunmen have taken over a small town north of Baghdad after clashes with security forces.

Thursday's statement stated that the gunmen took control of Suleiman Beg police station and deployed in the streets. The mayor of Toz Khormatu city to which Suleiman Beg is administratively annexed, Shalal Abdool, said security forces have laid siege and sporadic clashes occurred.

On Wednesday, fierce clashes between Iraqi soldiers and the gunmen in the town killed four soldiers and 12 others, including some gunmen. Abdool added that the gunmen suffered casualties on Thursday, but couldn't give numbers. The town is about 150 kilometers north of Baghdad.

The unrest followed a bloody incident involving soldiers and protesters on Tuesday that set off fighting in towns.
In other violence, three gunmen were killed when they attacked a security checkpoint near the former al-Qaeda stronghold of Mosul.

Later, a car bomb struck a police patrol north of Baghdad, killing a policeman and two civilians, according to police.
After sunset, a car bomb near a bus stop in Baghdad. It killed seven people and wounded 23 others.
Hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information to reporters.

Moreover, two MPs with cabinet portfolios resigned, the last cabinet member at all, Vice Premier Saleh al-Mutlaq, has tendered his resignation as well.

According to the defense ministry's statement, clashes occurred with armed men leading to fatalities and injuries on both sides. The statement added that dozens of armed men were arrested and weapons were seized.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org