Gunmen kidnap deputy minister in Iraq's Baghdad

BAGHDAD - Iraq's deputy justice minister was kidnapped from his vehicle on Tuesday by black-clad gunmen in a north Baghdad district, three security sources said, the second high-profile abduction in the capital in less than a week.

The incident occurred around noon when gunmen intercepted the convoy of the deputy minister in the predominantly Shiite district of Bunoug and abducted the three and fled the scene, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

It was not immediately clear who were behind the abduction, the source said without giving names of the abducted officials, but added an investigation is underway.

The incident came six days after gunmen stormed a construction Turkish company building in the Shiite bastion of Sadr City and kidnapped 18 of the company workers.