Mortars greet Ahmad Chalabi on visit to area northeast of Baghdad

The Associated Press

Senior Iraqi politician Ahmad Chalabi escaped unharmed Saturday when insurgents shelled a village he was visiting northeast of Baghdad and later exchanged gunfire with his personal security detail, an aide said. The aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of his own safety, said the gunfight lasted 15 minutes and that army soldiers joined Chalabi's security team to drive the assailants back. Iraq's state television aired footage showing soldiers and Chalabi's security guards firing automatic weapons from behind a sand perm. The insurgents could not be seen, but Chalabi was shown earlier speaking to reporters as gunfire suddenly rang out in the background...

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