Masked gunmen killed three members of raq's largest Sunni party in front of a mosque in northern Iraq. The three members of the Iraqi Islamic Party were seized in Mosul while they were hanging posters urging people to register to vote in a planned Oct. 15 referendum on the constitution that is being drafted.
According to The AP, the attackers later blocked a major road in front of Dhi al-Nourein Mosque, then brought the three out of cars and forced them to stand against a wall before spraying them with gunfire.
Elsewhere, gunmen assassinated a city council member in the northern city of Hawija. Police said the councilman, Aswad Omar Nayef, was on his way to Kirkuk when he was ambushed by gunmen.
Meanwhile, Iraqi politicians expressed optimism that the final draft of a new constitution would be ready by the weekend even as Sunni leaders warned any move towards federalism would be rejected at the polls, The AFP reported. "The charter will be finalized by Saturday or Sunday... before the present deadline ends," said drafting committee member Munther al-Fadhal on Friday.
