Gunmen killed a popular Iraqi comedian on Monday as attacks and abductions of senior politicians and dozens of ordinary citizens prompted the defense minister to declare that Iraq was now in a "state of war".
At a news conference, Defense Minister Abdel Qader Jassim said the security forces were hunting the kidnappers: "We are in a state of war and in war all measures are permissible."
Comic Waleed Hassan was killed by three bullets to the head on his way to work, Reuters reported. He was famous for mocking everyone from the Iraqi government to U.S. forces to Shiite and Sunni gunmen.
Meanwhile, Deputy Health Minister Hakim al-Zamily said gunmen attacked his convoy and killed two guards. Zamily was the second ministry deputy targeted in two days. His colleague Ammar al-Saffarwas abducted from his home by gunmen in uniform.
A roadside bomb hit the convoy of another junior minister, Mohammed al-Oreibi, said an official in his secular party.
All in all, over 100 deaths were reported around Iraq since Sunday morning.
