Scattered violence kills at least 7 in Iraq

— A roadside bomb near a Shiite shrine and a string of shootings that targeted security forces killed at least seven people in the Iraqi capital, authorities said Saturday.

The first attack took place in the early morning in the Shiite neighborhood of al-Shaab, where gunmen opened fire on a police patrol, killing two policemen and wounding another, officials said.

Later in the day in the Kazimiyah neighborhood, a bomb exploded about 500 yards from a shrine where two revered imams are buried, killing three people and wounding 14 others, according to the police. The explosion also damaged nearby shops and buildings.

Late Friday in the Karradah district, gunmen shot dead a police lieutenant colonel who worked with the State Identity Directorate, authorities said.

Hospital officials confirmed the deaths. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

Meanwhile, gunmen killed a prison official in a drive-by-shooting during the morning rush hour in eastern Baghdad, said Justice Ministry spokesman Haider al-Saadi.

Violence has ebbed in Iraq since the peak of the bloodletting in 2005-2008, but insurgents still frequently attack government officials and security forces in an attempt to undermine the Shiite-led government.

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