Twelve dead after assault on Baghdad military headquarters

Suicide bombers struck a Baghdad military headquarters yesterday and killed 12 people, two weeks after an attack on the same site pointed to the failure of Iraqi forces to plug even the most obvious holes in their security.

United States troops at the military compound to train Iraqi forces helped repel the attack, marking the first time American forces have been involved in an exchange of gunfire in Baghdad since the US officially ended combat operations in Iraq, less than a week ago.

In the brazen midday assault, suicide bombers set off a car bomb and managed to fight their way inside the building before being killed.

On August 17, an al-Qaida-linked suicide bomber blew himself up at the same east Baghdad military headquarters and killed 61 army recruits in the deadliest act of violence in Baghdad in months.

Iraqi military spokesman Major General Qassim al-Moussawi said in a statement that 12 people were killed in yesterday's attack and 36 were injured. Five Iraqi soldiers were among the dead.

An explosives-laden car charged the building and blew up. Then gunmen assaulted the headquarters, battling the building's guards in a 15-minute firefight, according to police officials who said at least three militants were wearing explosive belts.

Bombers in custody

The bombers were headed to the building's entrance on foot, but were shot by the guards before they could trigger their devices. One was wounded and has been taken into custody.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The Americans provided covering fire while Iraqi soldiers pursued the attackers who had entered the compound, said Lt Col Eric Bloom, a US military spokesman. The US intervention also included helicopters and drones, he said. The American troops were based in the compound to train Iraqi forces.

- AP