Mortar kills seven family members in Baghdad: Govt

Baghdad, July 7: A mortar killed seven members of the same family in central Baghdad today as they slept on their roof, an interior ministry source said.

Two neighbours were also wounded in the attack in the mostly Sunni neighbourhood of Fadhil in central Baghdad, the ministry source said.

Fadhil, which borders several Shi'ite districts, had been relatively quiet in recent weeks. But a resident who lives near the area said clashes broke out after the attack.

The fighting died down after about 30 minutes, although sporadic firing could still be heard, the resident said.

Sleeping on the roof is common in Iraq, as frequent electricity blackouts prevent air-conditioning from functioning and summer temperatures often remain well above 40 degrees centigrade even at night.

US and Iraqi forces have launched a major security clampdown in and around the capital to stem sectarian violence between majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs that has pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.

Reuters>