Four children killed in Iraq mortar attack

A mortar attack against a school in an insurgent stronghold west of Baghdad killed four children playing soccer and an Iraqi army soldier, the US Marines said today.

Another two children were injured and treated at a nearby military hospital, they said.

The attack was carried out in the western Euphrates River valley town of Parwana as soldiers cleaned up the school, which had been used as a polling station during yesterday’s elections.

“Three mortar rounds impacted killing an Iraqi army soldier, four children and wounded two others. The soldiers were cleaning up the site from yesterday’s crowds while the children were playing soccer in the school yard,” the Marines said.