Two people were abucted and a further three killed after a gun battle erupted in Iraq's Akkas gas field in the far West of the country, Reuters reported.
The attack, which took place in the restive Anbar province close to the Syrian border, was carried out by a militant group with links to Syrian rebel fighters, according to local security officials.
"Gunmen in vehicles attacked the headquarters of a local company hired by KOGAS [Korea Gas Company ] to do work in the field," Farhan Ftaikhan, mayor of nearby al-Qaim, told Reuters, adding, "They killed an engineer and two workers and kidnapped two more. Before they left they set fire to vehicles and offices."
The gun fight is just one of many attacks in Iraq in recent months, as the security situation continues to deteriorate. Although no group claimed responsibility for Monday's violence, security officials believe that the Islamic State of Iraq, a branch of al-Qaeda, are gaining ground around the border area.
