10 killed in police station hostage operation in Iraq

Al Anbar province police force announced the death of 10 people, including the Police chief of Al Baghdadi Police Station, who died during a hostage-freeing operation from the same police station west of Al Ramadi. Additionaly, security forces were able to free 13 hostages who were taken hostage by armed men. Hadi Kassar, the police chief of Al Anbar province said in a press conference that “special Iraqi forces from the police and army forced their control on the police station following an hour of clashes between armed men and we were able to free 13 hostages.” He pointed out that he armed men shot dead the police chief of the station, Sadeq Hanshal, and Lieutenant Alaa Al Obaidi, in addition to two police officers and a civilian. Kassar added that “security forces killed five armed men inside the police station” and accused Al Qaeda of being behind the attack.