Female suicide bomber kills 15

2008-06-22 19:18

Baghdad - A female suicide bomber struck near a government compound northeast of Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 40, police said.

At least 21 suicide attacks have been carried out this year by women.

The bomber detonated her explosives in front of a heavily guarded area that includes the courthouse, the post office and the governor's offices in the city of Baqouba, a police officer said.

The attack occurred about 13:00, at a time when large numbers of people were visiting the compound to get official papers or conduct other business.

The US military has warned that women bombers are being increasingly recruited by al-Qaeda in Iraq because they can more easily avoid security searches.

The bomber on Sunday apparently had hidden an explosives belt under a traditional black Islamic robe usually worn by Iraqi women.

Police said she was targeting a police patrol that was about 200m away from the compound, but there were many civilians nearby.

One of those wounded said the blast had occurred as many people were leaving the compound ahead of the 14:00 close of business.

"I was trying to get out of the court when the explosion took place," the witness said, declining to give his name because of security concerns.

"I heard some of the injured people saying they saw a woman wearing a black robe blew herself up."

- AP