Suicide bomber attack in Iraq kills 13

At least 13 Iraqi volunteer fighters have been killed and eight wounded in a suicide attack in Baquba.

At least 13 Iraqi volunteer fighters, including a leader, were killed and eight wounded in a suicide attack in Baquba city, 60 km southeast of the Iraqi capital on Thursday, a medical source said.

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The bomber blew himself up targeting a volunteer centre linked to local public committees in Baquba, according to the source.

Public committees formed by local tribes volunteer to help the police and the army enforce security and eliminate militants from the Al -Qaeda terrorist network and other militias.

This model of volunteer resistance, primarily supported by the US, was first introduced in Anbar province and its surroundings.

It was well received and spread into Diyala province and Baghdad, especially in the predominately Sunni and ethnically mixed areas.

The Iraqi government recently decided to integrate the tribal fighters into the security forces to help combat the ongoing insurgency.

Baquba, the capital of Diyala province, is a flashpoint of insurgency by Iraqi militant groups backed by Al-Qaeda elements operating in the province.

A large-scale security offensive mounted by the US and Iraqi troops drove insurgents into the surrounding countryside in June.