BAGHDAD, Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Two days before general elections are set to kick off in Iraq, gunmen killed the leader of an independent Sunni electoral list representing the province of Anbar.
Also Tuesday a candidate in the electoral list representing the Shiite United Iraqi Coalition escaped an attempt to assassinate him with an explosive charge detonated in the area of Mahmoudiya, south of Baghdad.
Mizher Dalimi, president of the committee defending the rights of the Iraqi people, who was running at the head of an independent list in Anbar was killed instantly when gunmen sprayed him with automatic rifle fire.
Police also reported that gunmen attacked Mikdad Ahmed Sitto, a supporter of the list of the National Dialogue Council, killing him on the spot.
In other developments, two police patrols were attacked separately in Baghdad, as part of mounting violence preceding general elections of Iraq's new parliament which will serve a full four-year mandate.
In the first incident, an explosive charge blew up near the patrol followed by a clash with gunmen who managed to flee after injuring two policemen.
In the second attack an explosive charge was detonated near a police patrol, without causing casualties.
Iraqi police and army backed by U.S. troops started on Monday the implementation of a strict security plan in order to beef up security control before and during the elections on Dec. 15.
