Insurgents storm police station in western Iraq city of Ramadi; at least 21 dead

Insurgents stormed the western Iraq city of Ramadi on Sunday and tried to blast their way into a police compound, setting off a fierce gun battle with local security forces. Eight police officers and seven insurgents were killed, according to government and security officials.

“It was a bold attack, surprising attack,” said Brig. Gen. Khamis Jasem, a commander at a provincial operations center. “They made the security forces busy with explosives here and there. Then they attacked.”

Suicide bomb attacks have killed thousands in Iraq since 2006. Use the interactive to view the human toll up to today.

An additional six civilians were killed in the bombings and attacks, said Maj. Mahmoud Khaleel of the Anbar provincial police. Security officials have increased their readiness, particularly in the nearby city of Fallujah. “We are expecting similar attacks in the coming days,” Jasem added.

Sunday’s assault, in a predominantly Sunni area, followed a huge blast Saturday outside the southern city of Basra, which killed at least 53 Shiite pilgrims on a march to a religious shrine. The country is increasingly on edge after previous bombings in the wake of the U.S. troop withdrawal last month.

Officials fear that insurgents are trying to provoke a sectarian war between Sunni and Shiite extremists, in part by taking advantage of a political crisis in Baghdad that has paralyzed the government.