3 soldiers, 1 civilian martyred in Iraqi cities

At least three soldiers have been killed by unknown gunmen north of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, while one civilian was killed in a blast in Baquba. According to police sources, the three soldiers were killed by the unknown assailants at a security checkpoint in al-Dulaya, located 170 kilometers north of Baghdad. Five others were also wounded in the Thursday attack. One civilian was also killed and seven others wounded in a bomb blast in Baquba, situated 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. No group has yet taken responsibility for the attacks. On Sunday, 28 people were killed and a number of others wounded in a series of bomb explosions in Shia-populated districts in Baghdad. Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the Sunday attacks. Violence has increased in Iraq since December 2011, when an arrest warrant was issued for fugitive Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi, who has been charged with running a death squad targeting Iraqi officials and Shia Muslims. The government has stepped up efforts to boost security across the country over the past few months.