Five dead in Iraq suicide attack

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8013599.stm

Version 0 of 1.

At least five people have died after a suicide bomb attack targeting a US-allied militia leader north of the Iraqi capital, reports say.

About 15 people were injured as the blast rocked a Sunni mosque in Dhuluiya, 70km (45 miles) from Baghdad, a police colonel told AFP.

The attacker struck during evening prayers at around 2000 (1700 GMT) in the predominantly Sunni town.

He reportedly mingled with men present before detonating an explosive vest.

AFP quoted the police colonel as saying the attack's target had been Mullah Nadhem al-Jubouri, a local leader from the Awakening councils, who was not present at the time of the blast.

His brother was wounded in the attack, reports say.

The Awakening, or "Sahwa", is made up of around 100,000 Sunni tribesmen and former insurgents who switched sides to fight al-Qaeda with the backing of the US military.

Local Awakening councils have been credited with restoring relative calm to much of Iraq.

Although there has been a series of deadly bombings across the country in recent months, in March a spokesman for the US-led Multi-National Forces in Iraq said the country had moved "from a very unstable to a stable position".