Four Iraqis killed northeast of Baghdad

Four Iraqi people were killed, nine others kidnapped and two more detained in separate incidents in eastern Iraqi province of Diyala, a provincial police source said on Tuesday.

A suicide car bomb detonated Tuesday near a civilian car in al- Khalis town, some 75 km northeast of Baghdad in the volatile Diyala province, killing four people aboard and damaging the car as well, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

In a separate incident, Iraqi soldiers and police stormed al- Khalis town, detaining two suspects earlier in the day, the source added.

On Monday, unknown gunmen kidnapped nine employees of the State Company of Electrical Industries at the main road of Baquba city, some 60 km northeast of Baghdad, the source said.

Baquba and Khalis are located in the volatile province of Diyala, which is believed to be a stronghold of Sunni militants.

Violence persists in Baghdad and other Iraqi areas despite the presence of tens of thousands of U.S. and Iraqi soldiers across the country in a major security crackdown aimed at curbing insurgency and sectarian violence.

Source: Xinhua