Nine civilians killed in Fallujah mortar attacks

Nine Iraqi civilians were killed and 15 wounded when several mortar rounds missed their target in Fallujah today.

The mortars apparently targeted an American military base, but landed in a residential neighbourhood, police and medical officials said.

The attack, which began about 10am local time, sent many of the mortar rounds into a court building and residential communities. Most of the casualties came from the court, said Dr. Anas al-Rawi, of Fallujah General Hospital.

In other violence, a police commander’s convoy was struck by a roadside bomb in the town of Hamzah, south of Baghdad, killing two guards and injuring two others, a police officer said.

Another roadside bomb in the Shiite neighbourhood of Sadr City in Baghdad apparently targeted a passing police patrol, but missed and killed one civilian and wounded four others.