Attacks kill 16 as Iraq executes 'terrorists'

A spate of suicide bombings against security forces were the deadliest in attacks that killed 16 people today as Iraq announced more executions amid a protracted pre-election surge in violence.
The bloodshed, which has killed nearly 6,000 people so far this year, has fuelled fears Iraq is slipping back into the brutal sectarian war of 2006-07, and has spurred officials to appeal for international help in combating militancy.
Baghdad has also voiced concern over a resurgent Al-Qaeda emboldened by the civil war raging in neighbouring Syria, and the government has trumpeted long-running operations against militants that officials say are having an impact.

But that has done little to quell a spate of deadly attacks, with violence hitting primarily Sunni Arab areas of the country that have borne the brunt of recent unrest.
Today's deadliest attack hit an army base in Tarmiyah, just north of Baghdad, killing at least seven soldiers and wounding 22 others, according to a police colonel and a health official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
A police officer in the town said the attack began with mortar fire raining down on the base, spurring soldiers to leave the facility via the main gate to investigate who set them off.

At that point the suicide bomber blew himself up, and the explosion was followed by a firefight between militants and soldiers, the officer said.

Iraqi troops based in Tarmiyah have been targeted by militants on multiple occasions.
On November 7, two successive car bombs set off by suicide attackers at another nearby military installation killed 16 people and wounded dozens more.
Two suicide bombers also attacked a police station in Taji, another town just north of Baghdad. One of the attackers was shot dead, but the second manged to blow himself up, killing four policemen and wounding nine others.
Attacks in Baghdad, Fallujah, Mosul, and Kirkuk left five more people dead while security forces in the southern port city of Basra also found the dead bodies of two tribal chiefs who had been kidnapped in southern Iraq recently.

The violence came on the same day authorities announced the execution of 11 convicted "terrorists", bringing to at least 162 the total number of those put to death so far this year, according to an AFP tally based on the justice ministry and officials.