Suicide bomber kills 15 in Basra

BASRA: A suicide bomber disguised as a policeman killed at least 15 people in Iraq's southern city of Basra on Saturday, police said.

"A terrorist wearing a police uniform and carrying fake police I.D. managed to reach a police checkpoint and blew himself up among police and pilgrims," said a police official at the scene of the bombing.

At least 15 were killed, including 11 policemen, and another 40 people were wounded when the bomber detonated his explosives among pilgrims trying to pass through the checkpoint on their way to a major Shia mosque to the west of Basra.