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WORLD NEWSThursday 24 December 2015

Wave of attacks kills at least 15 civilians across Iraq Saudi king: top

Iraqi security search house to house for Islamic State militants as they enter the southern neigh- In and around Baghdad, priorities for next
borhoods of Ramadi, 70 miles (115 kilometers) west of Baghdad, Iraq, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015. five bombs went off in
Iraqi security forces’ advance was slowed by snipers, roadside bombs and booby trapped build- commercial areas, killing year are security
ings, military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, told The Associated Press. Rasool said some of eight civilians and wound-
the families that were trapped in Ramadi had managed to flee the city and reached safe areas. ing 35, two police officers and economy
said. Three medical officials
(AP Photo) confirmed the casualty fig- A. AL-SHIHRI
ures. All officials spoke on AYA BATRAWY
SINAN SALAHEDDIN No one immediately explosives-laden cars were condition of anonymity as Associated Press
Associated Press claimed responsibility for detonated. The first car was they were not authorized RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP)
BAGHDAD (AP) — A wave the attacks, though they parked inside a bus station to release information. — Saudi Arabia’s mon-
of attacks across Iraq bore the hallmarks of the IS, and that explosion killed The attacks came a day arch said Wednesday that
killed at least 15 civilians a Sunni militant group that three and wounded 10, a after Iraqi security forces security and economic
on Wednesday as govern- has targeted Iraqi forces, police officer said. reported progress in re- development remain the
ment forces pressed on civilians and especially Shi- The second car bomb ex- capturing some areas in country’s top priorities for
with their offensive to dis- ites. In the Shiite-majority ploded at the town’s out- the western city of Rama- the coming year as low
lodge Islamic State militants town of Khalis, about 80 door grocery market, killing di, 130 kilometers (80 miles) oil prices keep decreasing
from a major city west of kilometers (50 miles) north four civilians and wounding west of Baghdad, from the the kingdom’s revenue.
Baghdad, officials said. of the Iraqi capital, two eight. Islamic State extremists In a televised two-minute
who control large swaths speech before the advisory
of land in western and Shura Council, King Salman
northern Iraq and in neigh- outlined his domestic and
boring Syria. The IS group foreign policies, which he
has declared a self-styled said are aimed at serving
caliphate on the territory Arab and Islamic causes
under its control. as well as fighting terrorism.
On Wednesday, the Iraqi “The kingdom’s foreign pol-
security forces’ advance icy adheres to fixed prin-
was slowed by snipers, ciples, its commitment to
roadside bombs and boo- international agreements,
by-trapped buildings, mili- which defends Arab and
tary spokesman Brig. Gen. Islamic causes, aims to
Yahya Rasool, told The As- fight terrorism and achieve
sociated Press. Rasool said security and stability in the
some of the families that world,” he said.
were trapped in Ramadi Since assuming the throne
had managed to flee the in January after the death
city and reached safe of his half-brother King
areas.q Abdullah, former de-
fense minister Salman has
2 Palestinian attackers killed, 2 Israelis die in Jerusalem made security his fore-
most concern. Two months
DANIELLA CHESLOW parently wounded by the died at the scene and the estinian assailants. into Salman’s reign, he
Associated Press police as they shot at the second later, in hospital. launched an offensive
JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Palestinian assailants, also Three people were serious- Since mid-September, into Yemen against Irani-
Palestinian assailants were died later. Police spokes- ly wounded in the attack, an-backed Shiite rebels,
shot and killed on Wednes- woman Luba Samri said two of whom later died. A near-daily Palestinian stab- known as Houthis, who had
day after stabbing Jewish the attack happened out- 45-year-old Israel man died overran the capital and
pedestrians outside Je- side the city’s Jaffa Gate, from multiple stab wounds, bing, shooting and car ram- other cities in the country,
rusalem’s Old City, Israeli a popular spot for tourists while a 40-year-old man forcing the president and
police said, the latest in an visiting Jerusalem’s walled died from gunshot wounds, ming attacks have killed 20 the internationally-recog-
unrelenting wave of vio- Old City. She said police hospital officials said. Samri nized government to flee
lence that has gripped the shot both assailants who had said earlier that one Israelis and an American for several months to Saudi
region.m One Israeli later were later identified as Pal- of the wounded may have Arabia. In April, he set a
died from his wounds and estinians in their early 20s been shot by police officers student. At least 120 Pales- new course for the mon-
another man, who was ap- from the West Bank. One who were firing at the Pal- archy’s future, recasting
tinians have died by Israeli the line of succession and
naming his nephew, Interi-
fire in the same period, in- or Minister Mohammed bin
Nayef, as his successor. q
cluding 82 said by Israel to

be attackers.

The rest have been killed in

clashes with Israeli security

forces.q