BAGHDAD, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - A woman suicide bomber blew herself up outside a courthouse north of the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, killing six security personnel and three civilians, officials and witnesses said.

Two Iraqi army majors were among five soldiers killed while a policeman also died in the attack in Baquba, capital of the restive province of Diyala, a security official said.

BAQUBA, Iraq, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - A woman bomber blew herself up outside a courthouse north of the Iraqi capital, killing nine people and wounding 21 in the worst Al-Qaeda-style suicide bombing by a female in three weeks.

BAGHDAD, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Iraq said on Wednesday it was ready to take over security responsibilities from US security forces in Baghdad as both countries say they are nearing a deal on a contested military pact.

ANKARA, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey's parliament Wednesday voted to extend the government's mandate to order strikes against Kurdish rebels holed up in northern Iraq.

Of the 529 lawmakers present in the 550-seat chamber, 511 backed the motion giving the government another year-long mandate for cross-border operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

BAGHDAD, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Iraq said on Wednesday it was ready to take over security responsibilities from US security forces in Baghdad as both countries say they are nearing a deal on their controversial military pact.

ANKARA, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Turkey's parliament Wednesday to vote on extending the government's mandate to order strikes against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, days after 17 soldiers died in an attack near the border.

BAQUBA, Iraq, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi forces on Wednesday arrested 15 Sunni militiamen working alongside US troops in their drive against Al-Qaeda in the restive province of Diyala, security officials said.

ANKARA, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish lawmakers were expected to vote Wednesday for extending the government's mandate to order strikes against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq, days after 17 soldiers died in an attack near the border.

BAGHDAD, Oct 8, 2008 (AFP) - A woman suicide bomber blew herself up outside a courthouse north of the Iraqi capital on Wednesday, killing six people and wounded at least 18, officials said.

An Iraqi soldier was among those killed in the attack in Baquba, capital of the restive province of Diyala, a security official said.

ANKARA, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish warplanes Tuesday bombed more than 20 Kurdish rebel targets inside Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq, intensifying an onslaught triggered by a deadly militant attack last week.

TEHRAN, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmud al-Mashhadani arrived in the Iranian capital on Tuesday, a day after his plane was refused permission to land in Tehran, state television reported.

Mashhadani, a Sunni Arab, was to meet his Iranian opposite number, Ali Larijani, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi on Tuesday.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Two powerful bombs exploded just outside Baghdad's tightly-guarded Green Zone on Tuesday as US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was due to address reporters inside, an AFP correspondent said.

An Iraqi military officer said at one soldier was wounded in the blasts.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Two powerful bombs exploded just outside Baghdad's tightly-guarded Green Zone on Tuesday as US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was due to address reporters inside, an AFP correspondent said.

An Iraqi military officer said at least one soldier was wounded in the blasts that went off in quick succession.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - The United States and Iraq are now 'very close' to an agreement on the presence of American troops in the country beyond 2008, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Tuesday.

ANKARA, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Tuesday to launch an incursion into northern Iraq to target Kurdish rebels if necessary, after a bloody attack last week left 17 soldiers dead.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Bombs exploded outside the Iraqi capital's tightly guarded Green Zone on Tuesday as US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte wrapped up a visit focusing on a controversial military pact.

ANKARA, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened Tuesday to launch a fresh incursion into northern Iraq as warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel targets across the border after a deadly attack killed 17 troops.

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi forces arrested on Tuesday a woman suspected of heading up the recruitment of female suicide bombers in Iraq, including that of a teenager caught at a market recently with explosives strapped to her waist.

'Ibitisma Odwan was arrested by our forces,' defence ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Two powerful bombs exploded outside the Iraqi capital's tightly-guarded Green Zone on Tuesday as US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte was ending a visit focused on a controversial military pact.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Armenia has withdrawn its contingent of 46 soldiers from Iraq, further shrinking the US-led coalition forces, the American military said on Tuesday.

The unit of the former Soviet republic brought its operations to a close on Monday with a ceremony at Camp Victory in Baghdad, a statement said.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - The United States and Iraq are now 'very close' to an agreement on the presence of American troops in the country beyond 2008, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Tuesday.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Abu Dhabi crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan paid an unannounced visit to Iraq on Tuesday that he said was aimed at 'confirming our total support' for the war-ravaged nation.

ANKARA, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish warplanes on Tuesday bombed more than 20 Kurdish rebel targets both inside Turkey and across the border in northern Iraq, the Turkish army said.

The jets struck 21 targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party in the Avashin-Basyan region in northern Iraq as well as the Buzul and Iki Yaka mountains in Turkey's southeast, it said in a statement.

BAGHDAD, Oct 7, 2008 (AFP) - The constitution is Iraq's only viable roadmap to overcoming the bitter sectarianism that has torn the nation apart since the US-led invasion of 2003, leading Shiite politician Ammar al-Hakim told AFP.

ANKARA, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish warplanes carried out a bombing raid against Kurdish rebel hideouts in neighbouring northern Iraq on Monday, the military said.

The strike followed an initial operation Sunday night, in which Turkish forces fired artillery at rebel positions in northern Iraq, the statement said.

SAMARRA, Iraq, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Rising Iraqi Shiite leader Ammar al-Hakim has extended an olive branch to rival Sunni leaders and tribes during a whistlestop tour of Sunni enclaves ahead of key provincial elections.

ANKARA, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish warplanes carried out a bombing raid against Kurdish rebel hideouts in neighbouring northern Iraq on Monday, the military said.

The strike followed an initial operation Sunday night, in which Turkish forces fired artillery at rebel positions in northern Iraq, the statement said.

SAMARRA, Iraq, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Rising Iraqi Shiite leader Ammar al-Hakim has extended an olive branch to rival Sunni leaders and tribes during a whistlestop tour of Sunni enclaves ahead of key provincial elections.

ANKARA, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Turkish warplanes bombed Kurdish rebel hideouts in neighbouring Iraq Monday as senior ministers met to discuss fresh measures against the separatists after the killing of at least 15 soldiers last week.

Iraq said on Monday that it has called on Egypt to collaborate in
rebuilding the country's oil industry after Cairo announced it was
ready to re-establish a diplomatic mission in Baghdad.

SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - The rebel Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Monday claimed it had the bodies of two Turkish soldiers killed in a raid last week in southeastern Turkey near the border with Iraq.

ANKARA, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was to meet with his ministers Monday after a deadly rebel attack against Turkish soldiers and weekend reprisals that the army said killed nearly two dozen insurgents.

WASHINGTON, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Monday awarded the State Department's highest honor to US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker and US military general David Petraeus, as she highlighted the 'long road' in Iraq.

BAGHDAD, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Iraqi Christians called on the Shiite-led government on Monday to reinstate a legal provision reserving provincial council seats for representatives of minority communities.

TEHRAN, Oct 6, 2008 (AFP) - Iran insisted that Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmud Mashhadani was still welcome to visit after his plane was refused permission to land in Tehran on Monday.

The spokesman of the Iranian parliament's presiding board, Mohsen Kouhkan, said that the aircraft had not been turned away because of any objections to Mashhadani's planned visit.

BAGHDAD, Oct 5, 2008 (AFP) - Eleven people were killed, including three women and three children, as a suicide bomber struck and a gunbattle broke out during a US raid on a house in northern Mosul on Sunday, the US military said.