Nine civilians killed by mortar attacks in Iraq

Several mortar rounds landed in a residential neighborhood, killing nine civilians and wounding 15 others in the city of Fallujah. It seems that the real target - an American military base – was just missed.

The attack, which began about 10 a.m., sent many of the mortar rounds into the court house and residential communities. Most of the casualties came from the court house, said Dr. Anas al-Rawi, of Fallujah General Hospital.

In other violence, a police commander's convoy was struck by a roadside bomb in the town of Hamzah, south of Baghdad, killing two guards and injuring two others, a police officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he feared reprisals if it was learned he spoke to the media.

Another roadside bomb in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City in Baghdad apparently targeted a passing police patrol, but missed and killed one civilian and wounded four others, police said.