Gunmen ambushed a minibus carrying eight policemen in Tarmiyah area north of Baghdad on Monday, killing them all, police said.

"Armed men opened fire at a minibus carrying eight policemen wearing civilian cloths as they were heading for work at Tarmiyah police station," an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Three civilians aboard and the driver were wounded in the attack, which took place about 1 km away from the police station, the source said.

The source said the victims were evacuated to Kadhumiyah Hospital in northern Baghdad.

Militants have frequently attacked and kidnapped Iraqi officials, government employees and security forces in an attempt to cripple the Shiite-dominated government formed in late April.

Source: Xinhua