Suicide bombing kills 10 in Iraq

Ten Iraqis died in an overnight suicide bombing in a remote village north of Baghdad, officials reported on Friday.

This brought to nearly 50 the number of people killed on Thursday in four bombings and other violence.

Early on Friday, gunmen killed an Iraqi contractor working on a mosque in Samarra, police said.

More than 800 people, including US military personnel, have died in violence since the new Iraqi government took over in Iraq on 28 April.

The suicide bombing, which happened late on Thursday, hit a home where a group of people had gathered, killing at least 10 and wounding 10 more.

The incident occurred at a remote village near the town of Balad, 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Baghdad.

Baghdad operation

Iraqi Interior Minister Bayan Jabr said on Thursday that an operation by Iraqi security services aimed at breaking up insurgent groups in Baghdad had made big gains.

He said police and soldiers captured 700 suspected militants and killed 28.

The operation, the biggest by Iraqi forces since the fall of Saddam Hussein, started on Sunday. Officials said 40,000 Iraqi soldiers and police were involved.