11 killed in a day as Baghdad rocked by increase in violence

Drive-by shootings and a spate of bombings killed 11 people and wounded dozens in Iraq yesterday.

Five of the dead were Iraqi police and security forces. Gunmen also opened fire on worshippers as they left dawn prayers in the town of Jurf al-Sakhr, just south of Baghdad, killing three and wounding one. Hours later, rush-hour bombings across the capital killed four commuters.

In the deadliest strike, a roadside bomb exploded next to a minibus killing three people, including a police officer. Nine others were wounded in the early-morning attack. Three bombs were also planted near each other in a downtown business district.