Gunmen open fire on crowded Baghdad street

Scattered violence returned to Iraq’s capital today after a three-day curfew was lifted.

In central Baghdad, gunmen opened fire on a crowded street, killing six Iraqis and wounding three, some of whom were sitting in a parked car, said police Lt Ali Muhsin.

In the southern district of Dora, one of the city’s most violent areas, armed men in two cars attacked a police patrol, wounding six policemen, said police 1st Lt. Abdul Razzaq.

Half an hour later, other gunmen attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint, wounding four soldiers, he said.

Police in western Baghdad found the bodies of two Iraqis who had been kidnapped, blindfolded and shot, said police 1st Lt Miathem Abdel-Razaq.

Police and witnesses also said US soldiers shot and killed 11 civilians and wounded five last night in the north-east suburb of Husseiniya.

Today, about 250 attended a memorial service outside the hospital’s morgue for the 11 victims.

The US military said it could not immediately confirm that such an attack had taken place.