Baghdad: Iraqi officials say suspected Al Qaida militants have killed five Iraqi soldiers at a western Baghdad checkpoint and planted the terror group's black banner before fleeing the scene.
The police and hospital officials say the attackers used pistols fitted with silencers in the brazen dawn assault on Tuesday in Baghdad's Mansour district. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they're not authorized to talk to the media.
In a similar attack last Thursday, militants stormed a checkpoint in Baghdad's Azamiyah district, killing 16 security troops and planting Al Qaida's flag nearby.
Violence has significantly dropped in Iraq since 2008, but attacks still occur, particularly in Baghdad, where Al Qaida militants appear determined to show they are not a spent force.
