Iraq's president called for national unity Thursday as mortar attacks killed four civilians in the northern city of Mosul. Meanwhile, Iraqi police opened fire on demonstrators in Tikrit, wounding four.
According to The AP, President Jalal Talabani addressed hundreds of Shiite clerics Thursday at a constitutional conference in the Shiite holy city of Najaf, about 160 kms south of Baghdad. "Drafting the constitution, God-willing, will be done on schedule and I am confident about cooperation" between Shiite and Kurdish legislators to do the job, Talabani said.
In fresh violence, mortar attacks aimed at a police station killed four civilians and injured some 50 more after striking surrounding streets in Mosul, the U.S. military said.
Elsewhere, police opened fire on 1,000 demonstrators Thursday at the seat of the provincial government in Tikrit as they were protesting the killing of the local council's head official, authorities said. At least four were wounded. The protesters demanded the resignation of the deputy governor and police chief because they believe their clan was responsible for Wednesday's killing of Ali Ghalib Ibrahim, who belongs to a rival clan, Mayor Wael Ibrahim Ali said.
Separately, five decapitated bodies were located Thursday on a road in northwestern Iraq, police said. The bodies were found on the road between Rawah and Ramadi, police Maj. Hashim Mohammed said.
