Gunmen attack political party offices in Iraq

Gunmen opened fire on the local headquarters of three political parties north of Baghdad today and killed an Iraqi policeman.

Assailants blasted the three buildings with heavy machine gun fire and also shot dead a traffic policeman in the city of Baqouba.

The buildings house the city’s offices of the Communist Party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the United Iraqi Gathering.

Four bystanders were injured in the attacks.

Insurgents have stepped up attacks on political figures, Iraqi police and designated polling stations ahead of Sunday’s national elections. Rebels have promised to disrupt the vote.