Suicide bomber attacks Iraq PD
April 1, 2013![[38521907] Tanker bomb targeting a police station in Tikrit epa03646816 An Iraqi policeman receives medical treatment at a local hospital in Tikrit city, northern Iraq, on 01 April 2013. At least eight people were killed among them policemen and 14 others wounded in a tanker bomb targeting a police station in Tikrit city northern Iraq, police said. EPA/STR +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++](https://static.dw.com/image/16712758_1004.webp "[38521907] Tanker bomb targeting a police station in Tikrit epa03646816 An Iraqi policeman receives medical treatment at a local hospital in Tikrit city, northern Iraq, on 01 April 2013. At least eight people were killed among them policemen and 14 others wounded in a tanker bomb targeting a police station in Tikrit city northern Iraq, police said. EPA/STR +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++")
A suicide bomber detonated a fuel tanker truck filled with explosives in Tikrit on Monday morning, according to security and medical officials. The blast killed at least five people and wounded at least 10 others.
Most of the casualities were policemen.
Tikrit is located about 180 kilometers (112 miles) north-west of Baghdad. The city was the birthplace of executed former President Saddam Hussein.
No immediate claim of responsibility was made following the attack.
Violence has been on the rise ahead of April 20 provincial elections. Sunni Islamists linked to Iraq's wing of the al Qaeda terror network have targeted the Shiite civilian population, as well as government officials this year in an attempt to undermine Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Shiite government.
In addition to the political turmoil at home, the civil war across the border in Syria has fuelled al Qaeda-linked militants who have reportedly been assisting Sunni fighters in their efforts to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
kms/pfd (AFP, AP, Reuters)