Sepcial Report: Tension accelerates in Iraq
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BAGHDAD, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Unknown gunmen kidnapped the deputy
minister of the Electricity Ministry and 19 of his guards in Baghdad on Tuesday,
an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua.
"Unidentified gunmen in seven SUVs,
wearing Iraqi army uniforms, ambushed the convoy of Raad al-Haris, deputy
minister of the Electricity Ministry, at about 7:20 a.m. (0320 GMT) on the Qanat
Street in eastern Baghdad," the source said on condition of
anonymity.
The gunmen abducted al-Haris and 19 of his
bodyguards with four of their vehicles, the source said.
On
Saturday, unknown gunmen kidnapped a female Sunni Arab lawmaker, Taiseer Najah
al-Mashhadani, along with seven of her bodyguards while traveling in a Shiite
neighborhood in
northeastern Baghdad.
The incident
prompted the Sunni Arab bloc in the Iraqi parliament to decide on Sunday not to
attend parliament sessions until al-Mashhadani is released.
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