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Gunmen kidnap dozens in Baghdad Gunmen kidnap dozens in Baghdad
(30 minutes later)
Gunmen dressed in military uniforms have kidnapped dozens of people from a commercial area in central Baghdad, according to Iraqi police. Gunmen dressed in uniforms have kidnapped dozens of people from a commercial area in central Baghdad, according to Iraqi police.
Initial reports say that between 20 and 30 people were abducted. Between 20 and 30 people were abducted in the Sanak area of east Baghdad, reports say.
The men, wearing the National Police uniform, were in five vehicles - some of them painted like government cars, a security official told AFP news agency. Eyewitnesses said the men, wearing the National Police uniform, were in 10 vehicles - some of them painted like government cars. Shots were heard.
The gunmen fired shots into the air as they drove away from the site, according to reports. Correspondents say mass kidnappings are becoming commonplace in the capital.
The Iraqi capital is plagued by daily kidnappings - some are part of the sectarian violence, some are criminal. In the latest incident, gunmen ordered people to sit on the ground before selecting large numbers to be taken away - among them both shopkeepers and pedestrians.
The BBC's Andrew North in Baghdad says people are kidnapped every day in Baghdad, but mass kidnapping such as this have become more common.
Last month, dozens of staff and visitors were abducted from the higher education ministry and it is still not clear what happened to many of them.
Those kidnapped often end up being tortured and killed. Dozens of bodies are found around Baghdad every day, our correspondent says.