Tuesday, May 01, 2007
14 killed in ambush, IZ badges found in terrorist stronghold
Security
(AP) - Gunmen ambushed travelers on a highway leading from Baghdad to Shiite areas to the south on Tuesday, killing 14 people, while mortar rounds slammed into an area near the Iraqi prime minister's office in the U.S.-controlled Green Zone in the capital, a government official said. The attacks against the travelers began at 6:45 a.m., when gunmen took aim at a minibus, killing 11 Shiites and wounding three, as it passed near Iskandariyah, 30 miles south of Baghdad in a predominantly Sunni area dubbed the "Triangle of Death" because of frequent insurgent violence.
About 45 minutes later, a group of gunmen standing on the highway opened fire at civilian cars, killing three people and wounding five near Latifiyah and about 6 miles north of the site of the initial attack. The attacks occurred on the main highway linking the capital to predominantly Shiite southern provinces. Farmers often use the road to transport goods and Shiite pilgrims use it for treks to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, but they have to go through the dangerous areas closer to Baghdad.
No casualties were reported in the mortar attack — the second strike against the sprawling complex in about 12 hours — but it underscored heightened concerns about security in an area that is home to the U.S. and British embassies and thousands of American troops, as well as the Iraqi government headquarters. The Pentagon also said Monday that documents captured in recent fighting in Baghdad included two identity cards for access to the Green Zone and an ID card for access to the U.S. Embassy.
About 45 minutes later, a group of gunmen standing on the highway opened fire at civilian cars, killing three people and wounding five near Latifiyah and about 6 miles north of the site of the initial attack. The attacks occurred on the main highway linking the capital to predominantly Shiite southern provinces. Farmers often use the road to transport goods and Shiite pilgrims use it for treks to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, but they have to go through the dangerous areas closer to Baghdad.
No casualties were reported in the mortar attack — the second strike against the sprawling complex in about 12 hours — but it underscored heightened concerns about security in an area that is home to the U.S. and British embassies and thousands of American troops, as well as the Iraqi government headquarters. The Pentagon also said Monday that documents captured in recent fighting in Baghdad included two identity cards for access to the Green Zone and an ID card for access to the U.S. Embassy.
Labels: Green Zone, gunmen, Iskandariyah, Latifiyah, MNFI badges, mortar rounds
