BAGHDAD: Bank robbers shot dead eight people at a Baghdad bank before blasting open its vault with sticks of dynamite and making off with eight billion Iraqi dinars ($6.84 million) in cash yesterday, police said.

The money had just been transferred to state-owned Al-Rafidain bank's branch in the central Baghdad shopping district of Karrada on Monday, according to a bank employee, who declined to be named.

"The thieves arrived and stole at least 5.6 billion dinars, which we received yesterday for the salaries of policemen who work for the interior ministry," he said.