Anti-Al Qaeda leader escapes assassination attempt in Iraq

Wisam al-Hardan — who was recently appointed to lead a Sunni militia that helped U.S. troops in the war against Al Qaeda and is it has been a target for Sunni insurgents who consider them traitors — survived after his motorcade was attacked by two suicide bombers in violence that killed six of his body guards and one civilian, and wounded eight people, authorities said.

Two suicide bombers believed to be affiliated with Al Qaeda attacked the motorcade of Iraqi leader Wisam al-Hardan. This photo from last week shows people inspecting a separate car bomb during the increasing violent in Iraq.

 A prominent leader of a militia opposed to Al Qaeda escaped an assassination attempt Monday that killed six of his body guards and one civilian and wounded eight people, authorities said. Seven more people were killed and 15 wounded in separate violence in Baghdad and another Iraqi city as the country reels from waves of sectarian attacks.

Two suicide bombers attacked the motorcade of Wisam al-Hardan near his house in Baghdad's western Harthiyah neighborhood, but the Sunni tribal sheik was not hurt, said Interior Ministry spokesman Saad Maan.
Al-Hardan was recently appointed by the Iraqi prime minister to lead the Sunni militia known as Sahwa, which joined U.S. troops in the war against Al Qaeda at the height of Iraq war. Ever since, it has been a target for Sunni insurgents who consider them traitors.
Later in the day, a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a security checkpoint near the city of Baqouba, killing four people and wounding 12, said police and hospital officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Baqouba, a former Al Qaeda stronghold, is 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad.

Violence has increased in the last five months in Iraq, with some 4,000 people having been killed.

In southeastern Baghdad, police gunmen using weapons fitted with silencers opened fire on a commercial street, killing two people and wounding three, said a different police official who also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak with the media. It was not immediately clear why the officers opened fire.
And in Baghdad's western Baiyaa area, a man was shot dead as he walked near his home, the police official said.
Most attacks on civilians and security forces in recent years have been the work of Sunni extremist groups such as Al Qaeda. But attacks on Sunni targets have been on the rise in recent months, raising fears that armed Shiite groups are starting to retaliate.
Violence in Iraq has intensified since April to levels not seen since 2008. More than 4,000 people have been killed over the past five months alone, including more than over 8,000 in August, according to figures provided by the UN mission in Iraq.