A suicide bomber killed 15 people in eastern Baghdad. The commander at the checkpoint, Farouq abu Omar and four of his men were among the dead, authorities said. Abu Omar commanded volunteers who had turned against Al Qaeda.

At least 30 people were wounded in the attack. Women and children were among the dead, said Abu Abed, the head of the US-funded Sons of Iraq security group.

There were conflicting accounts about the bombing. One police officer said the male bomber was disguised as a woman and arrived on foot. Another said the attacker was not dressed as a woman and arrived on a bike.

 The Sons of Iraq movement has been credited for weakening Al Qaeda in Iraq and helping to bring about the major drop in violence Iraq has witnessed since last fall.

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