Iraqi officials: Gunmen kill 15 Iranian pipeline workers and 2 Iraqis northeast of Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Authorities in Iraq say gunmen have killed 15 Iranian pipeline workers and two Iraqi guards northeast of Baghdad.

A senior security official says the Friday night attack took place in the al-Nida area when gunmen opened fire on a group of Iranian workers building a gas pipeline between Iraq and Iran.

Al-Nida is about 145 kilometres (90 miles) northeast of Baghdad. Four people, including two Iranians were wounded also in the attack.

Hospital officials confirmed the casualty figures. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Deadly insurgent attacks have been on the rise since a security crackdown on a Sunni protest camp in a northern town last April.