Suicide bomb kills police chief in Iraqi town of Tikrit

A suicide bomber has killed a police chief and at least four others during an attack in the Iraqi town of Tikrit, police officials say.

The target of the attack appeared to be Ahmed Subhi al-Fahal, the head of the city's anti-riot squad.

The bomber struck on a busy street in the town, some 95 miles (150km) north of the capital, Baghdad.

Reports said at least two of the others killed were Mr Fahal's bodyguards, who were accompanying him while he shopped.

"The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, who was wearing a vest packed with explosives," said police official Abdel Haadi.

At least seven others - including civilians - were injured in the attack which took place near a jewelery shop in the hometown of the late Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein.

Following the attack a curfew has been imposed on the city, AP reports.

Mr Fahel, who was in his 40s, was one of the leaders of a campaign against al-Qaeda in the predominantly Sunni Arab area which began in 2007 and contributed to eradicating the network from the province.

A policeman during Saddam Hussein's rule, he was reported to have escaped a series of assassination attempts in the past.

Source: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8393536.stm.