33 Killed in Iraq Attack

The attackers went into action Sunday morning, apparently tried to gain control of the building. They were turned back, said police general Natah Mohammed Sabr who heads emergency services in Kirkuk.

No groups immediately took the blame for the attacks. But militant Sunni Muslims and members of the terrorist network al-Qaeda group in Iraq dishes regularly attack government buildings and security services in Iraq.

Political Process

Sunday's attack happened while Iraqi politicians preparing new attempt to resolve the political crisis in the country. Former allies of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has for weeks held protests demanding that he should resign.

Saturday, the government in Baghdad presented statistics showing that the number of acts of violence in Iraq dropped from December last year to January this year. 

This is contrary to news agency AFPs numbers, suggesting that January was the bloodiest month the country has experienced since last September.