Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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February 17, 2008

Iraqi Officials: Woman Suicide Bomber Kills 3 in Baghdad
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1B46412:A6F02AD83191E16062E402A6C2E1818721A4E82C900CD027& US military
reports only the bomber was killed, two people were wounded





A man checks damage to his car after a female suicide bomber blew
herself up in central Baghdad, 17 Feb 2008Iraqi officials say a woman
suicide bomber has blown herself up in a central Baghdad store,
killing at least three people.

The U.S. military, however, says only the bomber was killed in
Sunday's blast, while two people were wounded.

The military says Iraqi soldiers fired at the woman when they saw her
wearing something bulky and holding wires in her hand. The woman
staggered into a nearby shop where her explosives detonated.

It was the latest in a series of suicide bombings involving Iraqi
women that officials blame on al-Qaida in Iraq.

In other violence today, a car bomb killed an Iraqi policeman and two
civilians in the northern city of Mosul. And the U.S. military says
gunmen killed two U.S. soldiers and wounded a third in the
northeastern province of Diyala.

On Saturday, a senior Iraqi military official said insurgent and
sectarian attacks in Baghdad have dropped significantly since a
security crackdown began about a year ago.

Lieutenant-General Abboud Qanbar said the number of bodies found
dumped in the capital has dropped from more than 40 each day to about
four. He said the decrease is an indication of the security plan's
success.

Officials say improved security may soon allow Iraqis displaced by the
war to return to their homes.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, said
Saturday he is sending more staff to Iraq to help plan for the return
of large numbers of the displaced.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.




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