4 Journalists, 9 Others Killed in Iraq Violence

BAGHDAD, Sept. 13 -- Four Iraqi journalists were among at least 13 people killed in several incidents Saturday in Iraq, officials said.

The journalists were part of a team from al-Sharqiya television shooting a piece for a series about the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to a member of the team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he fears for his life.

Shortly after some of the journalists walked into a house in the northern city of Mosul, men drove up and kidnapped four of them, he said. heir bodies were found nearby an hour later.

The journalists had been visiting low-income families across the country and giving them gifts and food for iftar, the evening meal that ends the fast between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan.

One of the slain journalists, Musaab al-Azzawi, was the son of an Iraqi lawmaker. The others were identified as Ahmed Salim, Ehaab Mua'ath and Qidar Suliman.

Meanwhile, in Diyala province north of Baghdad, a roadside bomb killed six Kurdish soldiers, including their commander, Col. Tho al-Figar, and his son, according to a police source who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

In southern Baghdad, at least three people were killed in a roadside bombing targeting a police patrol. At least one officer was among the dead, the police source said.

The attacks came a day after a bombing in northern Iraq killed more than 30 people. Such attacks have become infrequent in recent months as insurgent groups have lost support and Iraq's security forces have become more competent.

Special correspondents Zaid Sabah and Qais Mizher contributed to this report.