Eight Iraqi civilians were killed and four others were wounded when a suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden fuel tanker was fatally shot by police and his truck blew up near police headquarters in Samarra, about 95 kilometers (60 miles) north of Baghdad, police said Sunday. Immediately after the Saturday afternoon explosion which damaged at least 10 homes, about 20 vehicles with at least 60 gunmen drove up to the site and clashed with the police, according to a police official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Most of the nearby homes that were damaged in the blast were empty, he was quoted as saying by The Associated Press. At least three police officers were wounded in the ensuing fighting, which ended after U.S. military helicopters flew overhead, according to police.
