Iraqi police stations come under attack

Insurgents launched a series of attacks today on police stations in Iraq’s so-called “Sunni triangle”, killing at least 18 and wounding 13 others, police and hospital officials said.

The attacks were unleashed at dawn, in the western Iraqi cities of Ramadi and Baqouba.

Explosions also rocked the eastern side of the restive Sunni-Muslim city of Fallujah, witnesses said.

The cities are part of the so-called Sunni triangle, which has been the site of frequent clashes between US troops and Iraqi security forces battling insurgents. Authorities have warned that attacks on security forces would increase in the days leading to the June 30 handover of power.

In Ramadi, insurgents wearing black and using masks fired rocket-propelled grenades to attack the stations in the insurgent stronghold 60 miles west of Baghdad, police said.

“We were inside the al-Qataneh police station and suddenly a very heavy explosion happened,” said First Lieutenant Ahmed Sami. “We discovered later on that the station was attacked from all around.”

Another group attacked the Farook police station, also with rocket-propelled grenades.

In a third assault, insurgents attacked a Ramadi government building, destroying several police cars.

Clashes were also reported between police and insurgents in Baqouba, 35 miles north-east of Baghdad, according to police officials in the city.

The dead included 11 police and prisoners, police said. Insurgents were later seen roaming the city with rocket launchers and automatic weapons.