Leaders of Iraq's parties considered extending Monday's deadline for a new constitution as last-minute talks produced no agreement on a federated state and other key issues, despite massive American pressure against any delay.
As Monday's meeting time for the National Assembly drew near, Shiite and Kurdish officials were considering asking parliament to extend deadline.
Shiite lawmaker Hassan al-Sunnaid said earlier Monday there were "no deadlocks" and the draft would be submitted to the National Assembly at 6 p.m.. Moments later, Sunni Arab members Kamal Hamdoun and Haseeb Aref said no agreement had been reached on federalism and other issues that have blocked an agreement for weeks.
On the ground, in Khalis, 50 miles north of Baghdad, gunmen on Monday killed three people in separate shootings, including a municipal council member and his driver, police said Monday. Four others were injured.
Police said gunmen killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded three others at a checkpoint in Buhriz, 35 miles north of Baghdad.
In west Baghdad, an ambush killed one Iraqi soldier and injured another, police Capt. Talib Thamir said. A mortar struck the rear courtyard of the Interior Ministry on Monday, wounding five troops and three civilians, police Lt. Col. Fouad Assad said.
In Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, the body of a government food program worker was located, police said. In the nearby village of Khirnabat, police said Monday a roadside bomb had killed one civilian the day before.
