Female Iraqi suicide bomber kills nine

A female suicide bomber killed nine people and wounded 12 when she blew herself up at an Iraqi market, police have said.

The attack occurred in the northern city of Baquba, in the capital of Diyala province.

The use of female suicide bombers has become a popular tactic of al-Qaeda to avoid detection by security forces and the US military says there have been more than 20 such bombings this year in Iraq. It has blamed the attacks on Sunni Islamist al-Qaeda.

Last month, a female suicide bomber blew herself up among policemen outside a restaurant in the city, killing 15 people.

Elsewhere, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has hinted that a timetable could be agreed for the withdrawal of US troops. It is the first time the country's Shia-led government has floated the idea of fixing a date for US forces to leave the country.

In a statement, Mr Maliki's office said a memorandum of understanding could be reached covering either the departure of foreign forces or setting a timetable for their withdrawal.

A statement said: "The prime minister said negotiations are still continuing with the American side. The current trend is to reach an agreement on a memorandum of understanding either for the departure of the forces or a memorandum of understanding to put a timetable on their withdrawal."

"In all cases, the basis for any agreement will be respect for the full sovereignty of Iraq," it added.

The statement referred to talks aimed at reaching a pact to replace a UN mandate for the presence of US troops in Iraq that expires on December 31. The administration of President George W Bush opposes setting a timetable for any withdrawal.

Mr Maliki has been under pressure from the movement of powerful Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr to set a date for troops to leave. His movement quit Mr Maliki's government last year when the prime minister refused to do so.

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