Eight dead, dozens injured after gunmen attack government building in northern Iraq

DIYALA, IRAQ (BNO NEWS) — Eight people were killed on Tuesday morning and dozens more were injured when a group of gunmen attacked a government building in the northern Iraqi province of Diyala, the local Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported.

The attack began when a suicide bomber detonated himself at the entrance of the Council’s building in Baaquba, the provincial capital. After that, another attacker driving a car loaded with explosives blew himself up as well.

Following the two explosions, a group of armed men stormed the government building. Five gunmen, four of them disguised as police officers and wearing explosive belts, took the Council’s employees as hostages at about 10:30 a.m. local time.

The Diyala Province’s security forces with the aid of U.S. forces conducted an operation to regain control of the building and rescue the hostages. Clashes erupted between security forces and the terrorists inside the Council’s building.

The joint Iraqi-U.S. Forces successfully disrupted the attack, killing four of the attackers and injuring another one who was arrested. In addition, security forces liberated all the hostages.

“The Security forces of Diyala Province have restored full control of the Council’s building at noon,” said Dulair Hassan, Chairman of the Province’s Security Committee, according to Aswat al-Iraq.

Overall, eight people were killed, including six of the attackers, while 27 more were injured. Diyala’s Operations Command imposed a curfew in Baaquba following the terrorist attack.

Last month, Hassan warned that al-Qaeda elements were planning an attack on the Province’s Council building and urged the strengthening of the security measures around the building. The government then increased the concrete barriers around it, but the measures did not stop Tuesday’s attack.

In recent days, violence has escalated in the volatile Diyala province. Tensions between al-Qaeda militants and Sunni tribes began in 2006 when the latter sided with the U.S. and coalition forces.

On April 29, a Sunni imam, his wife and his eight-year-old daughter were killed by gunmen for unknown reasons at their home in Khanaqin in the northeastern side of Baaquba.

In another incident, four Sunni brothers were killed at their house in southern Baaquba. Suspected al-Qaeda militants, wearing police uniforms, broke into the residence located in Bahraz district, killing the four individuals.