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Iraqi police die in suicide blast Suicide bombing rocks Iraqi city
(about 3 hours later)
At least 15 people have been killed by a female suicide bomber in the northern Iraqi city of Baquba, police say. Fifteen people have been killed and 39 wounded by a female suicide bomber in the northern Iraqi city of Baquba.
The attack occurred in front of police units standing near the entrance of a local government and court complex. At least 39 people were wounded. The bomber detonated the device in front of a group of policemen at the entrance to a local government and law courts complex.
A number of civilians are said to be among the casualties.
Previous bomb attacks in the Baquba area have been blamed on Sunni insurgents said to have links with the al-Qaeda network.
Doctor Ahmed Fuad, at Baquba's hospital, was quoted by AFP news agency as saying that among those killed in the latest bombing were eight policemen, two women and one child.
Several vehicles caught fire as a result of the explosion, while some nearby buildings were damaged by the impact.
Women recruits
Baquba is the capital of the restive Diyala province - one of the most dangerous parts of Iraq.Baquba is the capital of the restive Diyala province - one of the most dangerous parts of Iraq.
The attack comes as figures show violence across Iraq has dropped to a four-year low. It has seen a series of suicide bombings by women over the past year.
However, correspondents say militants are still capable of launching deadly attacks. On Tuesday, a car bomb explosion at a busy bus stop in northern Baghdad killed 51 people and left another 75 wounded. Security officials say al-Qaeda has recruited women bombers because they are often subjected to lighter security checks than men.
Last Tuesday more than 60 people were killed in a car bomb attack in Baghdad. The Americans blamed what they termed renegade Shia militiamen trying to incite inter-communal violence.
It was the deadliest bombing in Iraq's capital for weeks, following a security drive by Iraqi and US forces.It was the deadliest bombing in Iraq's capital for weeks, following a security drive by Iraqi and US forces.
Female bombers Despite such attacks, overall levels of violence in Iraq are at a four-year low.
Police officials said the woman walked over to a group of policemen as they ate lunch at an outdoor restaurant before detonating a suicide vest she was wearing.
Those killed included a number of civilians, witnesses said.
There have been a number of attacks in Iraq in the past few months carried out by female suicide bombers - some in Diyala province.
They have all been blamed on al-Qaeda. No-one has said who was behind the latest attack.