SAMARRA, Iraq - The Shiite mosque in Samarra known as the Golden Dome was attacked Wednesday by Iraqi insurgents who blew up its remaining two minarets.
Iraqi police said the insurgents entered the Askariya Mosque during a firefight with Iraqi national police who were guarding the holy site, planted explosives around the minarets and detonated them.
Other reports said two mortar shells had landed in the shrine's square, Alsumaria said. The attack sparked demonstrations in Baghdad, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki imposed a curfew on the capital, the report said.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties, CNN said.
It was the second time the shrine has been targeted by insurgents. The first attack on Feb. 22, 2006, resulted in the top half of the mosque's dome collapsing.
That attack by insurgents dressed as Iraqi police commandos triggered fierce Sunni-Shiite sectarian fighting across Iraq that has yet to end.
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