3 October 2005 -- Assailants attacked a convoy carrying Iraq's oil minister in Baghdad today.
Police said Oil Minister Ibrahim Bahr al-Ulum escaped unharmed, but two of his bodyguards were reported killed and at least one other wounded.
Some of the reports said a roadside bomb blasted the ministry vehicles, others said the convoy also came under small arms fire.
The attack occurred on a road leading out of Baghdad as Ulum was heading to the opening of an oil facility in Baiji, north of the capital.
U.S. Offensive
Also today, the U.S. military said U.S. forces had killed at least 36 insurgents during a two-day offensive against suspected militants in towns near the Iraqi-Syrian border. Some 1,000 U.S. soldiers launched the operation on 1 October.
(news agencies)
More news and analysis on Iraq
Some of the reports said a roadside bomb blasted the ministry vehicles, others said the convoy also came under small arms fire.
The attack occurred on a road leading out of Baghdad as Ulum was heading to the opening of an oil facility in Baiji, north of the capital.
U.S. Offensive
Also today, the U.S. military said U.S. forces had killed at least 36 insurgents during a two-day offensive against suspected militants in towns near the Iraqi-Syrian border. Some 1,000 U.S. soldiers launched the operation on 1 October.
(news agencies)
More news and analysis on Iraq