THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Up to 25 hostages were killed during a shoot-out between US and Iraqi forces and al-Qaeda-linked gunmen in a Catholic church in Baghdad on Sunday.
American soldiers and Iraqi security forces had entered the church in the centre of the city to free 40 worshippers being held by eight gunmen.
Seven members of Iraq's security forces, police and at least five of the attackers were also killed during the joint rescue operation in the Sayidat al-Nejat church.
The gunmen had stormed the church in the Karrad neighbourhood during evening mass after killing two guards at the nearby headquarters of the Baghdad stock exchange.
At least one of the deaths came before the rescue operation. One of the freed hostages, an 18-year-old man, said the first thing the gunmen did when they entered the church was to shoot the priest.
"They entered the church with their weapons, wearing military uniforms. They came into the prayer hall, and immediately killed the priest," said the young man who declined to give his name.
All the hostages had been huddled into the main prayer hall when the gun battles began with security forces, he said.
"We heard a lot of gunfire and explosions, and some people were hurt from falling windows, doors and debris," he added. >>> Telegraph’s Foreign Staff | Sunday, October 31, 2010
