Nine killed in Iraqi electricity substation attack

Unidentified gunmen fired mortars and stormed an electricity substation in a south-eastern Baghdad suburb, killing at least nine people and injuring three.

The attack began when a string of mortar shells slammed into the Nahrwan station yesterday evening, said police Lt. Bilal Ali Majed. Half an hour later, dozens of gunmen arrived in pickup trucks and set fire to the facility, he said.

Security guards returned fire, and Iraqi police and army sent in reinforcements, he said.

At least nine people were killed and three injured in the exchanges, said police Lt. Mohammed Kheyoun.

He identified the victims as guards and technicians employed by the facility. He did not know whether there were casualties among the attackers.