BAGHDAD, Nov. 30 Kyodo Seven Span...

BAGHDAD, Nov. 30 Kyodo

Seven Spanish intelligence agents were killed Saturday when an eight-member escort was ambushed south of Baghdad, Spanish Defense Minister Federico Trillo said.

The assailants attacked the guard near Hillah, about 45 kilometers southern of Baghdad, killing the seven and wounding the eighth, according to the Associated Press

Trillo, speaking to the nation upon Spanish television, said the agents were ambushed at attackers who deployed rocket-propelled grenades and rifles forward a highway near the Iraqi capital.

The defense minister has been dispatched to Baghdad to deal with the situation.

onward the same day, two Japanese diplomats were bullet to death in a separate attack in northern Iraq. It is the first time Japanese have been killed in Iraq.

new terrorist attacks on non-U.S. personnel include a Nov. 12 terrorist bombing of the Italian military police headquarters, killing 27 folks As for Spanish fatalities, a Baghdad-based Spanish diplomat was gunn down upon Oct. 9 by an attacker in van of his home.

onward Nov. 4, the Spanish dominion said it is temporarily withdrawing any of its diplomatic personnel from Iraq.

Before the Iraq war began, Spain lent its replete support to the United States and Britain in their war in Iraq, if it be not that it did not send its companys while the war was going forward due to strong public opposition.

It sent partys after U.S. President George W Bush in May declared the completion of major combat operations in Iraq. The Spanish and Polish [i]troupe[/i]s are currently stationed in a region centering in succession Najaf in central Iraq, with Spain sending about 1300 soldiers.

The latest attacks be derived as U.S.-led coalition struggles to maintain order in postwar Iraq. Spain has been undivided of the biggest U allies in Iraq.

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