Sunni guards dead in Baghdad

Baghdad: A member of a US-allied Sunni group says three of its guards have been killed and another wounded in drive-by shootings in northern Baghdad.

The official says gunmen in a speeding car opened fire on two different awakening council checkpoints on Thursday in the Azamiyah neighbourhood.
Azamiyah has seen a sharp decline in violence after a local Sunni decision to join forces with the US against Al Qaida in Iraq. The area also has been surrounded by concrete walls in a bid to stem attacks.

Members of the so-called awakening councils have frequently been targeted by militants seeking to derail security gains or in reprisal killings.