BAGHDAD - A government spokesman says that among those killed in an hours-long siege at a local Iraqi government headquarters were 15 hostages who were slain execution-style before their captors blew themselves up.
Salahuddin province media adviser Mohammed al-Asi says the attackers shot their hostages in the head as security forces closed in Tuesday in the city of Tikrit. Three local council members were among them.
Authorities say 34 people were killed altogether.
Al-Asi says he saw the bodies as they were taken from the scene at the provincial council headquarters in Saddam Hussein's hometown, 130 kilometres north of Baghdad.
His account was verified by another local official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the details.
