Suicide Bombing at Iraqi Militia Checkpoint Kills 10
By VOA News
02 January 2008
Iraqi police say a suicide bomber has killed at least 10 people and wounded about 20 others in the town of Baquba, northeast of Baghdad.
They say the blast happened Wednesday at a checkpoint manned by a U.S.-backed volunteer group that has turned against al-Qaida. Several security volunteers were among the dead.
Most of the volunteers are Sunni Arabs who are paid and armed by the U.S. military to patrol their neighborhoods. The militiamen have come under frequent attack by al-Qaida insurgents in recent months.
In Baghdad, authorities say the death toll from a suicide bombing on Tuesday has risen to at least 34, making it the worst in the capital since August. The bomber blew himself up in a mourning tent for a retired Iraqi army officer killed last week in a car bombing.
In another development, Iraqi police say they arrested a senior al-Qaida leader in the northern city of Mosul Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Iraqis witnessed much sadness in 2007, but a sense of unity and determination made it a year of security gains.
In a televised address broadcast by Iraqi media, Mr. Maliki said he hopes 2008 will be a year of unity, reconstruction, economic development and corruption fighting.
Mr. Maliki recorded the message in London, where he underwent two days of medical tests. He said in his message that he is in good health.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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