Up to five suicide bombers, some armed with rifles, tried to storm an army base in Baghdad today, killing 12 people and wounding 36.
The assault began when a minibus packed with explosives was driven at the back gate of the base, followed by one or two suicide bombers on foot who blew themselves up when they came under fire.
A final pair of gunmen fought an hour-long battle with troops inside a nearby building, security officials said.
Today's assault took place in broad daylight, just over two weeks after dozens of Iraqi army recruits and soldiers were killed by another suicide bomber at the same compound and a few days after the August 31st end to US combat operations in Iraq.
Insurgents are targeting Iraqi police and troops as the US military gradually pulls out more than seven years after invading, while the failure of Iraq's leaders six months after an election to agree a new government has also stoked tensions.
"It was an attempt to break into the Rusafa military command," said Baghdad security spokesman Major General Qassim al-Moussawi.
"It was similar to the attack on the central bank but security forces foiled the assault and killed all attackers," Moussawi said, referring to a June 13th siege by up to seven suicide bombers of the Central Bank of Iraq.
Mr Moussawi's office put the final toll at 12 killed and 36 wounded.
The explosions left a deep crater filled with body parts at the entrance to the base while bloodstains and bullet marks in an unused defence ministry building bore witness to a fierce gunfight.
"It was a well organised terrorist attack but our soldiers were alert and managed to stop them," Defence Minister Abdel Qader Jassim said at the scene.
The end of the US combat mission seven-and-a-half years after the invasion to topple Saddam has raised fears of a return to broader bloodshed and of increased attacks by Sunni Islamist insurgents. Iraq's 660,000-strong security forces had to be rebuilt from scratch after being disbanded after the invasion.
Reuters