Gunmen break into Iraqi government complex

Originally published on March 5, 2014

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Gunmen dressed in military uniform broke into the city council and court house in Samarra in northern Iraq on Tuesday (March, 4). The gunmen held the facility for four hours until police and army stormed the compound, according to the mayor and police officials.

A senior police officer said four policemen were killed in the fighting, along with three civilians who were visiting the city council. They were shot when Iraqi security forces arrived and opened fire on gunmen to retake the site, the senior police officer said.

Reuters reports, "a further 47 people were wounded, including 30 soldiers and policemen, according to officials at the Samarra hospital. The deputy head of the city council, Ammar Ahmed, and a second member were wounded.

"'The Iraqi police and army managed to clear the building,' Samarra Mayor Mahmoud Khalaf said. 'The situation is under control.'

"Three fighters, who had holed up in the city council building, detonated their suicide vests rather than surrender, Khalaf said.

"Two policemen had been racing to help when a parked car bomb blew up their vehicle about 200 meters (yards) from the site. Gunmen had taken the city council's second floor and its roof.

"Casualties might have been greater but many staff were attending a meeting across town with the mayor and governor of Salahuddin province, two police officials said.

"Samarra has long been troubled by unrest. Sunni militant groups have regularly attacked local Sunni government officials along with the Iraqi army and police."

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