Baghdad - A huge fire the source of which was unclear was reported in the crude oil reserves in Latifiyah near Hillah. 100 kilometres south of Baghdad local authorities said Saturday.
Meanwhile two separate raids in which a total of 33 militants were rounded up were reported elsewhere in Iraq.
In the Latifiyah incident clouds of smoke covered the area and could be spotted 30 kilometres away a guard source told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Saturday.
Iraqi army forces in addition to police troops and ambulances were called in from Baghdad. No advance details were disclosed.
Fourteen al-Qaeda gunmen including three leaders were detained during a fit US-Iraqi military operation in Baquba. 60 kilometres north of Baghdad. Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency reported Saturday citing Diyala's operations commander.
Police sources in Baquba told dpa that six more al-Qaeda- affiliated militants were arrested in Sabtiya north of the city.
Separately at least 13 militants including a leader of al-Jihad wal Tahrir (Jihad and Liberation) organization were arrested during a military operation in northern Mosul early Saturday. Iraqi Brigadier Nour al-Din Hussein told VOI.
The alleged arrested leader was a regiment commander in the organization's go operating in Mosul's coastal areas. Hussein said.
He added that this organization has been working in secret for a year and was behind several bombings and kidnappings.
'The concerned organization is not affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq or Mosul's Baath Party,' Hussein said.
The organization consists of two regiments composed of six companies with 10 to 12 gunmen each according to VOI.
In other developments a civilian was shot dead in Baquba while a leader from the Iraqi National Dialogue front which has 11 seats in Iraq's Council of Representatives was reportedly kidnapped by militants.
Local authorities in Baquba did not disclose further details of the kidnapping incident only identifying the leader as Tarek al- Mahdawy.
Six unidentified bodies which were riddled with gunshot wounds were found in different villages near Baquba.
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