BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber targeted a group of pro-government, anti-militant Sunni militiamen west of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, killing eight people and wounding 14, officials said Wednesday. The bomber struck on Tuesday night as the militiamen were patrolling a camp for families who had fled the fighting in western Anbar province between militants from an Al-Qaeda splinter group and government forces, a police officer said.



It was unclear if the bomber had come from the camp, located outside the provincial capital of Ramadi, or had followed the militiamen into it. The police officer said two militiamen, three guards and three women died in the explosion. One of the slain militiamen was Mohammed Khamis Abu Risha, the nephew of the influential tribal leader Ahmed Abu Risha whose brother led the formation of the original Sahwa — an anti-Al-Qaeda militia — until his assassination in 2007. — AP