Gunmen Attack Erbil Governorate Office in Iraq, Wound Policeman - Official

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MIDDLE EAST

09:21 23.07.2018(updated 11:23 23.07.2018)Get short URL

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The identity of the militants who assaulted the government facility is yet unknown, according to the Kurdistan 24 TV.

"At around 7:45 a.m. two gunmen approached the entrance of the governorate and opened fire at the guards. They managed to enter and now they are on the third floor," said Erbil’s Deputy Governor, Tahir Abdullah.

According to Abdullah, a policeman had been injured by the attackers. He also told Kurdistan 24 that the security forces had surrounded the building in order to find the gunmen.

READ MORE: Gunmen Kill 2 Iranian Border Guards Near Frontier With Iraqi Kurdistan — Reports

"The motive behind the attack is unclear," the official added.

It was specified in the reports that the attack group included three armed men.

A few hours later the Reuters news agency reported citing a security source that one of the militants carried out a suicide bombing in the government building. There was no immediate data on casualties, but the report mentioned two policemen, injured by the assailants.

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Mahmoud@Mahmodshikhibra

#Erbil #attack . Some gunfire heard from time to time , while heavy gunfire heard half an hour ago

8:27 AM - Jul 23, 2018

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However, according to Al-Arabia channel, the blast was a part of the special forces operation. Chanel reported that the Kurdish soldiers had terminated all three attackers.

The city of Erbil in northern Iraq is the seat of the Kurdistan Regional Government.