12 killed by violence in 24 hrs

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Twelve persons, including four children, were killed as a result of acts of violence that occurred in different parts of Iraq throughout the past 24 hours, security sources said on Saturday. A police source told IraqiNews.com that cops on Friday found two unknown bodies of civilians on the outskirts of al-Madaen district, southern Baghdad. In Kirkuk, a local police chief, Brig. Sarhad Qader, said that security forces found a body of a 30-year-old young man in Tobzawa area (25 km southwest of Kirkuk). Last night, Iraqi army and U.S. forces, which assisted in the operation, raided a house of an al-Qaeda member in Salah al-Din province. The clashes left one Iraqi soldier and three al-Qaeda members killed, according to an MNF statement that pointed out that two Iraqi servicemen were wounded in the opertation. In Wassit, police personnel on Friday evening found a body belonging to a cop in al-Hayakel area, southern Kut city, with signs of torture and gunshot wounds. Meanwhile, a landmine left from previous wars during the time of the former Iraqi regime detonated on Friday in Zayn al-Qaws area, southwestern Kirkuk, killing four children. SS (P) 1