Fighting leaves 2 police officers dead in Baghdad

From Mohammed Tawfeeq, CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Incident took place in Baghdad's Bayaa neighborhood in southwest of city
Officials said the gunmen tried to storm into the state-owned al-Rafidain bank
Gunmen detonated four bombs outside the bank to distract Iraqi security forces

RELATED TOPICS

Baghdad
Iraq

Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- At least two officers were killed and three civilians were wounded when police and gunmen traded fire in Baghdad on Thursday after an apparent bank robbery attempt, Iraqi Interior Ministry officials said.

The officials said the gunmen tried to storm into the state-owned al-Rafidain bank in the Bayaa neighborhood of southwestern Baghdad just before noon.

Gunmen detonated four bombs outside the bank to distract Iraqi security forces.

Later, clashes erupted between the attackers and Iraqis security forces for 30 minutes.

Iraqi security forces arrested two people and they sealed off the entire neighborhood searching for other attackers.

There have been bank robberies this year in Iraq -- actions thought to be staged by insurgents to fund their operations.