Four children caught in suicide bomb blast

A suicide bomber hit US and Iraqi security forces near Tikrit yesterday, the twelfth such attack in the area during the last month.

Up to four Iraqi children were feared caught in the blast. Their fate is still unknown, but they were seen playing on the street just before the explosion, at about 11.30am.

In addition, four US soldiers were wounded, one seriously. He was evacuated from Qadisiya, a village just north of Tikrit, to a nearby military hospital.

Major Steve Lutsky, of the US 2/7th Infantry Regiment, said the strike happened during a routine meeting between Iraqi police and US forces operating in the restive area, hometown to former dictator Saddam Hussain.

He told Gulf News: "We had security outside the police station when a vehicle came up, a maroon coloured taxi with Baghdad number plates. There was one person in the car, an Arab male, aged in his 20s.

"He was told to turn around and drive off. He was following those instructions when he detonated the car."

Major Lutsky accused the bomber, who died in the incident, of casual disregard for civilian lives. "It's one thing to attack us, or even the Iraqi police, but he must have seen those children and he didn't care."

Despite the latest bombing, US officials insist the situation is beginning to improve. In conjunction with the Iraqi police, they claim to have stopped a number of cars laden with explosives before they were delivered to their targets.

They also point to increasing intelligence coming from residents in Tikrit, a sign they hope of the local population beginning to turn against insurgents.

Maj Lutsky said: "Tikrit itself isn't a problem, mostly we believe it's people from outside the town who are behind the attacks, although they must get help from some locals."