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Iraq

Factbox - Security developments in Iraq, 18 Oct 2008

Oct 18 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq at 2000 GMT on Saturday. * indicates new or updated item.

* BALAD - A female suicide bomber blew herself up after being fired upon by Iraqi policemen when she refused to stop at a checkpoint in Balad, 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said. Iraqi police said five people were wounded in the incident.

* NEAR BALAD - Five Iraqis were killed, including a pregnant woman, in a shootout when gunmen attacked the house of a leader of U.S. backed neighbourhood patrols south of Balad, the U.S. military said.

SAMARRA - A mass grave containing 11 bodies was found in the northeast of Samarra, 100 km (60 miles) north of Baghdad, by Iraqi police with the help of local U.S.-backed security patrols. Five of the corpses were of policemen killed a year ago. Police also found a former prison belonging to Sunni militants, said police Colonel Abdul Khaliq al-Samarraie.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Police arrested a man accused of a bomb attack on U.S.-backed neighbourhood patrols in Baghdad's Doura neighbourhood, and found explosives in his possession, said Qasim Moussawi, government spokesman for security in Baghdad.

TUZ KHURMATO - The body of a man was found in Tuz Khurmato, 170 km (105 miles) north of Baghdad, showing signs of torture and gunshot wounds more than a week after he was kidnapped, police said.

KIRKUK - Three policemen were wounded when a roadside bomb struck their patrol in the southern part of Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

MOSUL - An unidentified body was found in the south of the Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, with a bullet in the head, police said.

MUSSAYAB - Gunmen shot dead the leader of the Sunni "Awakening" movement in the town of Mussayab, 60 km (40 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.

KIRKUK - A Kurdish security official was killed by a bomb attached to his car south of Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.

FALLUJA - A suicide bomber killed a Sunni imam on Friday night, police said.