US, Israel-backed gunmen kill at least 18 Iranian, Iraqi pipeline experts

Gunmen Friday shot dead 18 experts — most of them Iranians — who were working on a gas pipeline from Iran to Iraq northeast of Baghdad, police officers said.

The attack near Baladruz killed 15 Iranians and three Iraqis, and wounded five Iranians and two Iraqis, the officers said.

The attack came as the Iranian engineers were returning to their camp for the resting.

No group has already claimed the responsibility of this attack.

Violence has reached a level this year not seen since 2008, when Iraq was just emerging from a period of brutal sectarian killings.