Iraqi police say gunmen wearing military uniforms have kidnapped at least 30 people during a raid in central Baghdad.
Police say the daylight kidnapping raid targeted merchants in a commercial area of the city. Gunmen driving several vehicles rounded up the victims at gunpoint before driving off.
On Wednesday, bombings and shootings across Iraq killed at least 34 people. The attacks included bombings that targeted Shi'ites in Baghdad and suicide car bombers who attacked an Iraqi army base outside Kirkuk.
Meanwhile, several U.S. Senators visiting Baghdad today called for sending 15 to 30,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq to help stabilize the country. Senator John McCain and five other senators are in the Iraqi capital for talks with U.S. and Iraqi officials.
On Wednesday, a U.S. military spokesman Major General William Caldwell warned that the upsurge in violence will continue unless Iraqi political leaders make a greater effort to overcome their differences.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
