A suicide bomber attacked a reconciliation meeting of Shiite and Sunni leaders, provincial officials and security commanders in Baqubah on Monday. Baqubah is the capital of Diyala province and is located about 50 km to the northeast of Baghdad.
At least 21 people were said to have been killed in the attack.
Witnesses said, the bomber targetted a Shiite mosque in the city where those gathered had just completed their iftar feast, the traditional meal to end the day’s fast in the holy month of Ramzan.
The bombing was apparently intended to disrupt talks between tribal groups encouraged by The U.S. to broker peace between the groups and turn them against Al-Qaeda.
While no group had asserted responsibility for the attack by Monday night, it mirrored attacks previously conducted by al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The dead includes Brig. Gen. Ali Delyian al-Jorani, the commander of Baqubah police. The list of the injured, includes governor of the province, Raad Rashid Mulla Jawad according to security officials.
Source : Washington Post
