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Iraq police and gunmen die in Mosul clashes | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
At least 10 policemen and 30 gunmen have died in clashes in Mosul as anti-government protests continue in Iraq's Sunni-dominated areas. | |
Sunni protests erupted on Tuesday when the army raided an anti-government protest camp in Hawija, near Kirkuk. | Sunni protests erupted on Tuesday when the army raided an anti-government protest camp in Hawija, near Kirkuk. |
Earlier, anti-government gunmen seized the Sunni town of Suleiman Beg after clashes with Iraqi security forces. | |
Iraq's Defence Ministry said a police station was taken over by the gunmen, who have deployed in the streets. | |
Thursday's fighting followed fierce clashes in the town on Wednesday, which led to the deaths of four soldiers and 12 others. | |
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has called for calm, urging Iraqis to stand up against extremists. | |
"If [sectarian] conflict erupts, there will be no winner or loser," said Mr Maliki in a televised address. "All will lose, whether in southern or northern or western or eastern Iraq." | |
'Tactical withdrawal' | |
In Mosul, at least three Iraqi policemen were killed in clashes overnight, as gunmen reportedly seized western parts of the city using a mosque loudspeaker to rally Sunnis to join the battle. | |
On Thursday, military officials say they had regained control of most of the area, with a curfew imposed on the western side of the city. | |
The small town of Suleiman Beg lies on the road that links Baghdad and Kirkuk, which is now blocked. | The small town of Suleiman Beg lies on the road that links Baghdad and Kirkuk, which is now blocked. |
The army had made a tactical withdrawal from the town "so we can work on clearing the area completely, after we knew that the residents had left", a high-ranking officer told AFP news agency. | |
"We will clean the region corner by corner, and we will not allow any attack against the safety of citizens." | "We will clean the region corner by corner, and we will not allow any attack against the safety of citizens." |
However, the BBC's Rafid Jabboori said an attempt by government forces to recapture Suleiman Beg had failed. | |
Local official Shalal Abdul Baban said the army was deploying reinforcements on the outskirts of the town. | Local official Shalal Abdul Baban said the army was deploying reinforcements on the outskirts of the town. |
Anti-government unrest | Anti-government unrest |
Separately, militants also partially blew up a pipeline carrying crude oil from the city of Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean coast on Thursday, Iraq's North Oil Company and Oil Ministry told Reuters. | Separately, militants also partially blew up a pipeline carrying crude oil from the city of Kirkuk to Turkey's Mediterranean coast on Thursday, Iraq's North Oil Company and Oil Ministry told Reuters. |
Two Sunni ministers said they were resigning in protest over Tuesday's raid, which has led to the worst violence between security forces and Sunni protesters in recent months. | Two Sunni ministers said they were resigning in protest over Tuesday's raid, which has led to the worst violence between security forces and Sunni protesters in recent months. |
The Hawija incident was a significant development in the months-long protest movement in the Sunni cities in Iraq, the BBC's Baghdad correspondents says. | The Hawija incident was a significant development in the months-long protest movement in the Sunni cities in Iraq, the BBC's Baghdad correspondents says. |
He says the Shia-led government of Mr Maliki has tried to calm the situation by setting up an inquiry into the Hawija incident and appointing Sunni Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlag as its chairman. | |
The families of the Hawija casualties will be compensated, he adds, but this will unlikely pacify the widespread resentment in the Sunni community. | The families of the Hawija casualties will be compensated, he adds, but this will unlikely pacify the widespread resentment in the Sunni community. |
Tens of thousands of Iraqis in Sunni-dominated areas have been protesting against Mr Maliki, accusing his government of discriminating against them. | |
The government denies the accusations and says that protesters have been infiltrated by militant groups. | The government denies the accusations and says that protesters have been infiltrated by militant groups. |
With its massive oil reserves, Kirkuk - home to a mixture of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen - is one of the most bitterly contested of Iraq's disputed territories. | With its massive oil reserves, Kirkuk - home to a mixture of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen - is one of the most bitterly contested of Iraq's disputed territories. |
The Kurds want to incorporate it into their largely autonomous region, while Arabs and Turkmen oppose any change to its current status, ruled directly from Baghdad. | The Kurds want to incorporate it into their largely autonomous region, while Arabs and Turkmen oppose any change to its current status, ruled directly from Baghdad. |
Meanwhile, Iraq is currently awaiting the results of provincial polls held on 20 April - the first elections since the last US troops withdrew at the end of December 2011. | Meanwhile, Iraq is currently awaiting the results of provincial polls held on 20 April - the first elections since the last US troops withdrew at the end of December 2011. |
There was widespread violence before the polls. Dozens were killed in bombings targeting mainly Shia areas last week, and 14 candidates, most of them Sunnis, were murdered. | There was widespread violence before the polls. Dozens were killed in bombings targeting mainly Shia areas last week, and 14 candidates, most of them Sunnis, were murdered. |
The government said on Tuesday it would hold delayed votes in two Sunni-dominated provinces, Anbar and Nineveh, on 4 July. | The government said on Tuesday it would hold delayed votes in two Sunni-dominated provinces, Anbar and Nineveh, on 4 July. |
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