12 killed in Al-Qaeda raid on Iraqi town

Twelve civilians are killed and 12 kidnapped when suspected Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq raided the town of Kanan northeast of Baghdad on Thursday, blowing up a mosque and two houses, police said.

Twelve civilians were killed and 12 kidnapped when suspected Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq raided the town of Kanan northeast of Baghdad on Thursday, blowing up a mosque and two houses, police said.

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"The first attack was against a mosque," Baquba police chief Brigadier General Ali Dilayan told AFP. "They blew up the mosque, then they bombed two houses crowded with family members."

"Initial reports say there are 12 corpses in hospital. The toll may rise because we are still searching through the rubble."

The militants then abducted five women and seven children, he said. "We have arrested 22 Al-Qaeda suspects after we chased them," he added.