Gunmen in Iraqi uniform kill at least 8 in store

BAGHDAD, Mar 29 (Reuters) Gunmen wearing the military uniform worn by Iraqi police commandos killed at least eight people and wounded three in a raid on an electronics store in western Baghdad today, police sources said.

A hospital source put the death toll at nine, three women and six men, from the raid on the Al-Ibtikar Company in the relatively affluent Mansour neighbourhood.

There has been a spate of attacks and robberies by uniformed raiders on electronics stores and other businesses in the city this week.

On Monday and Tuesday, a total of 35 people were abducted in four attacks, two of them on electronics dealers. The fate of those kidnapped is unknown.

Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the end of international sanctions three years ago, Baghdad has seen big demand for hitherto unattainable consumer goods, at least among that portion of the population not living in deep poverty.

Also attacked yesterday was a currency exchange office, where police said raiders in police uniform got away with more than 50,000 dollars in US dollars and Iraqi dinars.

REUTERS SY BST1449