At least 13 people are dead following car bombings and clashes in northern Iraq.
Reports say gunmen detonated three car bombs on September 25 near local government buildings in the Sunni Arab town of Hawijah, west of Kirkuk, killing seven civilians and two soldiers.
Four militants were killed when they engaged local security forces.
Soldiers are searching for the remaining militants, who fled the scene.
Iraq has seen a heightened level of violence in 2013.
The violence worsened following an operation by security forces in April against antigovernment protesters near Hawijah that sparked clashes in which dozens of people died.
Death tolls in Iraq have reached levels not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a brutal sectarian conflict.
Reports say gunmen detonated three car bombs on September 25 near local government buildings in the Sunni Arab town of Hawijah, west of Kirkuk, killing seven civilians and two soldiers.
Four militants were killed when they engaged local security forces.
Soldiers are searching for the remaining militants, who fled the scene.
Iraq has seen a heightened level of violence in 2013.
The violence worsened following an operation by security forces in April against antigovernment protesters near Hawijah that sparked clashes in which dozens of people died.
Death tolls in Iraq have reached levels not seen since 2008, when the country was just emerging from a brutal sectarian conflict.
