Suicide attack kills 12 in Iraqi army complex

Five suicide bombers killed 12 people on Sunday at an Iraqi army complex in Baghdad.

BAGHDAD: Five suicide bombers killed 12 people on Sunday at an Iraqi army complex, the military said, in the first major strike in Baghdad since the US army declared an end to combat operations.

The coordinated attack occurred in the morning at the rear gate of Rusafa military command headquarters in the centre of the Iraqi capital.

The capital’s security command said five suicide attackers had approached the compound in a minibus.

One of them stepped out of the mini bus and was shot at by the security forces and he exploded.

Two others fled to a nearby building, while the minibus exploded with the two remaining terrorists inside. Security forces cordoned off the building and traded fire with the last two terrorists until both of them blew up.

Baghdad operations command, which is also based in the complex that was attacked, put the toll at 12 dead and 36 wounded from the attack.

A defence ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that 11 people had been killed. It was unclear how many of the victims were soldiers.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2010.