Iraq Violence

A senior finance ministry official has been assassinated by gunmen in Baghdad, whilst a senior judge was left wounded in an attack yesterday. Hospital officials reported that Mohamad Ali al-Safi, a senior official in the finance ministry, died in hospital on Monday evening after gunmen opened fire on his car in western Baghdad. In addition, gunmen shot judge Munir Hadad in the hand in a drive-by shooting in central Baghdad; Hadad, who served as the spokesman for the Iraqi High Tribunal formed to prosecute Saddam Hussein and his aides, survived the assassination attempt. It was also reported that a detonated bomb hit a car carrying four people in the city of Kirkuk; three people were killed, whilst the forth was wounded in the attack.
Attacks on Iraqi officials have been stepped up in recent months as US troops prepare to withdraw from Iraq.