Gunmen leave 15 dead in failed bid to storm Iraq’s central bank

GUNMEN trying to rob Iraq’s central bank battled security forces for hours after bombs ripped through a nearby area, leaving at least 15 people dead, the Iraqi military said.

A security official said initial reports indicated no money had been stolen from the bank’s vaults.

The violence began with a number of bombs that exploded within 10 minutes in a marketplace near the central bank compound in central Baghdad.

Violent robberies bearing hallmarks of politically motivated attacks have been on the rise, as sectarian violence ebbs.