Two carloads of gunmen were behind the assassination of a top national security official and his driver in a drive-by shooting in Baghdad today, police have said.

Major General Wael al-Rubaei and his driver were attacked in the Mansour district as they were heading to work.

Al-Rubaei was the director of the National Security Ministry’s operations room, according to a government statement. Government officials and police had earlier identified him as an aide to the Iraqi prime minister’s Cabinet.

Police said two carloads of gunmen sprayed automatic weapon fire at al-Rubaei’s grey Hyundai four-door saloon. Shortly after, al-Rubaei’s body was seen lying near the car as policemen stood by.

Separately, unknown gunmen killed a policeman in Baghdad’s southern Dora neighbourhood as he was heading to work at a local court, police said.

The killings follow Sunday’s murder of another senior government official, Trade Ministry auditing office chief Ali Moussa.

State employees and security forces have been prime targets of insurgents bent on disrupting the US-backed Iraqi government.

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