Gunmen ambush minivan, kill 10 in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq --Gunmen in Baghdad intercepted a minivan carrying a coffin to the Shiite holy city of Najaf on Tuesday, killing all 10 people on board, police said. Another five people were killed in a double bombing at a restaurant near the Green Zone.

The van was attacked in the volatile southern neighborhood of Dora by gunmen in two cars, police Lt. Thaer Mahmoud said, providing the casualty toll.

Mahmoud and Capt. Firas Qeiti said those killed were Shiites taking a coffin to be buried in Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad, a common practice among Shiites.

A parked car bomb followed by a suicide attacker on foot struck a restaurant frequented by police, said Lt. Mohammed Khayoun, giving the casualty toll.

The restaurant was about 200 yards from the entrance to the Green Zone, the fortified area that houses the U.S. and British embassies and the Iraqi government offices.

In other violence, a bomb planted under a fuel tanker exploded between a market and a medical center in the southeastern Baghdad suburb of Nahrawan, killing two people, Lt. Bilal Ali said.

Gunmen killed an engineer with Iraq's North Oil Co. and his driver in Kirkuk, 180 miles north of Baghdad.

Gunmen also ambushed a minivan in Taji, 12 miles north of Baghdad, killing one passenger, Lt. Mohammad Khayoun said.

An Iraqi army convoy came under fire near Sharqat, 160 miles northwest of Baghdad, Monday evening. Police said nine soldiers were killed.