Suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen kidnap 13
Pastor Dale Morgan
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*Suspected Al-Qaeda gunmen kidnap 13*
From correspondents in Kirkuk
December 31, 2007 02:58am
Article from: AAP
SUSPECTED Al-Qaeda gunmen set up a fake checkpoint south of the Iraqi
oil city of Kirkuk and kidnapped 13 civilians early on Sunday.
The incident occurred between the towns of Sulaiman Beg and Tuz
Khurmatu, local police officer Hewa Ghafour said.
"The gunmen are suspected to be from Al-Qaeda. They set up a fake
checkpoint between these two towns and stopped three cars," he said.
"The gunmen then forced the 13 passengers out of the cars and kidnapped
them," he said, adding that police had launched a search for the hostages.
In recent months, Al-Qaeda groups have stepped up attacks in northern
Iraq after fleeing central and western regions where US and Iraqi
commanders say massive military assaults have destroyed many of their
hideouts.