11 die in Iraqi car bomb attack

On Monday afternoon a road side bomb killed two British soldiers in southern Iraq, according to British authorities, while Iraqi security sources reported the deaths of five Iraqi civilians as a result of mortar attacks in residential areas of Baqouba and Khalis, both north of Baghdad, according to Reuters.

"Two soldiers died this morning from injuries sustained in a roadside bomb explosion in Basra province," a British ministry spokeswoman announced.

Meanwhile, US military sources reported that "terrorists operating from within a mosque described as a Takfirist meeting place were killed." No other details were offered in the announcement.

Earlier Monday monday morning at least two policemen were killed and five wounded morning when an estimated 30 gunmen opened fire on Iraq's Ministry of Interior.

The gunmen supposedly used automatic rifles, mortars and rocket propelled grenades, and traveled in at least 10 cars, Iraqi sources told Reuters.

Clashes ensued between the gunmen and security forces following the attack, and US Apache and Blackhawk helicopters were reportedly seen flying over the scene shortly thereafter.

Many believe that such incidents will increase as tensions mount within Iraq's Shiite Kurdish and Sunni communities. Many of Iraq's Sunni Arabs have been behind daily attacks on security forces of Iraq's Shiite and Kurdish government backed by US forces.

Iraq's upcoming October referendum in which Iraq's new constitution will be presented to the public for approval is also expected to worsen communal disputes as many Sunnis oppose the document feeling that it favors Shiite and Kurdish Iraqis at their expense.

Last Wednesday, more than1 , 000Shiites were killed in a stampede triggered by rumors of a suicide bomber following a rocket attack on a crowd of Shiite worshippers; many Shiites blamed Sunnis for the incident.

Sunni Arabs make up nearly 20 percent of Iraq's population, and held a dominant role in Iraq's government prior to the fall of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who will stand trial on October 19 for the deaths of 143 Iraqis. The trial date, four days after the anticipated referendum, was announced on Sunday. Hussein may face the possibility of hanging if convicted.

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