Suicide bomber kills Sunni Iraqi MP: officials

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Agence France-Presse

REUTERS photo

A suicide bomber killed a Sunni Iraqi MP and five others west of Baghdad on Tuesday afternoon, wrapping his arms around the lawmaker before blowing himself up, officials said.

Ayfan Saadun al-Essawi, a member of the secular Sunni-backed Iraqiya bloc that is part of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's national unity government, was targeted as he inspected a road being constructed south of Fallujah.

"Essawi was killed with three of his bodyguards and two civilians," said Sohaib Haqi, the lawmaker's office chief, adding that three other guards were wounded.

"The moment he stepped out of the car to check out this road between Fallujah and Amriyah, at this moment, there was a man. He came to him, hugged him, said Allahu Akbar, and blew himself up." Two other security officials confirmed Essawi's death.

The attack is likely to raise tensions with Iraq already grappling with a political crisis that has pitted Maliki against Iraqiya, which has frequently called for him to resign.