Wassit Province steps up security measures

WASSIT / IraqiNews.com: The security forces in southern Iraq’s Wassit Province have stepped up its security measures, searching for booby-trapped cars, targeted against government offices in the Province, a Wassit security source reported on Sunday.   “Wassit’s Operations Command has laid a new plan on  Sunday to secure the Province’s and its Council’sbuilding, and closing all roads leading to the Markets area, 2 days before its opening,” the security source said.  “Intelligence information reported the existence of threats by armed groups to attack those 2 buildings and the trade district, using booby-trapped cars,” he added.    The source noted that all roads leading to the said areas in Kut’s city, the center of Wassit Province, had been closed for the movement of cars, preventing them from parking in all main streets, along with the spreading checkpoints in different parts of the city.   A double explosion by an explosive charge and a booby-trapped car took place in the goldsmith shops market at the center of Kut on August 15, 2011, killing 40 civilians and wounding 68 others.   Kut, the center of Wassit Province, lies 180 km to the southeast of Baghdad.   SKH (TI)/SR 432