Twelve killed in suicide assault on Iraq army base

BAGHDAD, (Reuters) – Up to six suicide bombers, some  armed with rifles, tried to storm an army base in Baghdad yesterday, killing 12 people and wounding 36 less than a week after  Washington declared U.S. combat operations in Iraq over. 

The assault began when a minibus packed with explosives was  driven at the back gate of the base, followed by one or two  suicide bombers on foot who blew themselves up when they came  under fire. 
 
A final pair of gunmen fought an hour-long battle with  troops inside a nearby building, security officials said.
  
The U.S. military said its troops opened fire and provided  air support for Iraqi forces during the gunbattle. U.S. forces  are no longer officially on a combat mission in Iraq, but nearly  50,000 remain to train and assist the Iraqi military. 
 
Yesterday’s assault took place in broad daylight, just over two  weeks after dozens of Iraqi army recruits and soldiers were  killed by another suicide bomber at the same compound and a few  days after the Aug. 31 end to U.S. combat operations in Iraq.  

Insurgents are targeting Iraqi police and troops as the U.S.  military gradually pulls out more than seven years after  invading, while the failure of Iraq’s leaders six months after  an election to agree a new government has also stoked tensions.
  
“It was an attempt to break into the Rusafa military  command,” said Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim  al-Moussawi, whose office put the final toll at 12 killed and 36  wounded.  

“It was similar to the attack on the central bank but  security forces foiled the assault and killed all attackers,”  Moussawi said, referring to a June 13 siege by up to seven  suicide bombers of the Central Bank of Iraq.  

The explosions left a deep crater filled with body parts at  the entrance to the base while bloodstains and bullet marks in  an unused defence ministry building bore witness to a fierce  gunfight.