BAGHDAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- Gunmen opened fire at the car of a senior oil ministry official in western Baghdad Wednesday morning, killing him and his son, an Interior ministry source told Xinhua.

    "Unknown armed men ambushed the car of RahimAli al-Sudani, director general in the oil ministry, and opened fire at his car in Ameriyah district as he was heading to work," the source said.

    Sudani and his son were killed and his driver was seriously wounded, the source said.

    Gunmen opened fire late Tuesday at a funereal ceremony of a Shiite official working for Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, chief of a major Shiite party, killing two of his bodyguards.

    Insurgents frequently attack Iraqi government employees and security forces in an attempt to cripple the US-backed political process in the country. Enditem