BAGHDAD
Iraqi police have cleared a Transport Ministry building in Baghdad that had been stormed earlier by militants, killing six of them in the process, a police spokesman said Thursday.
"Six suicide militants took hostages inside the building before a Baghdad Operations force stepped in, killing all six militants," spokesman Saad Maan told Anadolu Agency, stopping short of specifying the number of hostages involved.
"Two security personnel were killed and eight other people injured," he added, without elaborating on whether those injured had been security forces or militants.
Police also defused several explosive charges, a booby-trapped car and an explosive belt found near the building.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the government usually blames such incidents on Al-Qaeda-linked militants.
By Aref Youssef
englishnews@aa.com.tr
