BAGHDAD, Feb 24: Insurgents assaulted a checkpoint near the Baghdad airport with rifles and grenades on Saturday and killed eight Iraqi national police commandos, the US military said.

“Witnesses described the attack as two vehicles driving from the east towards the checkpoint at a high rate of speed,” a statement said.

“Eight to 10 gunmen exited the lead vehicle, firing assault rifles and throwing hand grenades at the policemen,” it added.

“Eight national policemen were killed in the defence of the checkpoint.” The attack occurred around three kilometres south of the Baghdad International Airport at midday (0900 GMT), the military said.

The fire-fight was joined by US infantry backed up by air support.

Two wounded policemen were taken to a nearby hospital, and US military advisers identified two dead attackers, the statement said.

It was not clear what had happened to the others, who apparently escaped.

The second car was forced into a ditch and cordoned off in case it contained explosives, and a military bomb disposal squad rushed to the scene for an inspection.—AFP