Female bomber kills eight in Iraq

A female suicide bomber has killed eight people and wounded more than 20 in Iraq, police have said.

The woman detonated her explosives near a military patrol or checkpoint in the town of Baquba, a frequent flashpoint, security officials said.

Those killed were reported to be local Sunni troops recruited to work with US and Iraqi forces.

Baquba, some 65km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, remains a major centre for insurgents and suicide bombers.

The city, the capital of Diyala province, remains a stronghold for al-Qaeda, with regular attacks against US and Iraqi forces and against Sunni tribes who have agreed to work alongside the Americans and the national army.

Earlier this month, another female suicide bomber struck in a busy market near Baquba, killing nine people and wounding many more.

Women are less likely to attract the attention of male security guards because of Arab conventions on relations between men and women, correspondents say.

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