Several Killed In Attacks On Anti-Al-Qaeda Militiamen

Iraqi officials say at least three people were reported killed and more than 20 were wounded when insurgents attacked a group of government-supported militiamen in the city of Baquba today.

The officials said a suicide bomber detonated an explosives belt outside the gates of an Iraqi army base as members of the Sunni Sahwa (Awakening) militia gathered to receive their salaries.

A car bomb exploded several minutes later at a nearby parking lot as rescue workers arrived at the scene.

Baquba, the capital of Diyala province, is about 65 kilometers northeast of Baghdad.

The Sahwa militia are made up of Sunni tribesmen who joined forces with the U.S. military against Al-Qaeda in 2006, helping turn the tide of the insurgency.

compiled from agency reports