Baghdad - Eight people were killed and 10 wounded in raids by joint Iraqi-US forces in Sadr City, while two more were killed and 27 terrorist suspects and gunmen detained in security crackdowns across Baghdad in the past 24 hours, local media said Wednesday. Joint-US Iraqi forces backed by helicopters carried out a number of raids Tuesday night on Sadr City, destroying scores of houses and shops, independent Voices of Iraq news agency quoted police as saying.
There had also been attacks by gunmen, but no information was available on casualties among the forces. US forces did not comment on the incident. The predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb has been the scene of many acts of violence.
Iraqi security forces killed two gunmen and arrested 27 terrorist suspects across Baghdad, Voices of Iraq quoted a Fardh al-Qanoun - Law Enforcement - security operation command statement as saying.
The forces also defused four explosive charges and scuttled two boats belonging to the gunmen, the statement added.
US-led coalition forces meanwhile detained 20 suspected terrorists in raids targeting al-Qaeda leadership and operatives across Iraq, the US military said.
Karbala police chief senior officer Raed Shaker survived an assassination attempt Wednesday which left two security guards killed when an explosive charge hit their vehicle in nearby Hindiya village, Voices of Iraq reported. Karbala is 110 kilometres south of Baghdad.
In press statements published Wednesday, Iraqi MP Mustafa al-Hiti said around 80 per cent of Iraqi medics had quit their jobs since 2003 for fear of being murdered or kidnapped.
Al-Hiti, who heads parliament's health and environment committee, said Iraqi health ministry reports showed that 627 medics, including physicians and other healthcare personnel, had been killed since 2003.
The report also said 78 guards at medical facilities had been killed over the same period.
