Gunmen kill 10 security forces in Iraq

Unknown gunmen have killed 10 Iraqi security forces including five army intelligence soldiers in the latest wave of attacks in Iraq.

In the first attack, the armed men opened fire on a group of soldiers near the city of Ramadi, some 110 km west of the capital city of Baghdad, on Saturday, killing four of them and injuring another. One gunman also was wounded in the exchange of fire.

Gunmen also killed one soldier and wounded another in a similar attack in the same area.

In the city of Tikrit, 170 km north of Baghdad, the gunmen attacked a checkpoint and killed five Sahwa anti-Qaeda militiamen.

No group has claimed responsibility for attacks, but Iraqi al-Qaeda frequently carries out coordinated bombings targeting civilian targets such as mosques, markets and restaurants.

There has been a surge of violence in Iraq since Tuesday when security forces clashed with militants and anti-government protesters in several towns and cities, including Ramadi and Hawija near Kirkuk.

Nearly 200 people have been killed in Iraq over the past four days.