Iraq bomber kills child, wounds 13 in playground

KIRKUK, Iraq, Oct 12 (Reuters) A bomb killed a child and wounded 13 others in a playground as they celebrated the Islamic festival of Eid today in the northern Iraqi town of Tuz Khurmato, police said.

Police Colonel Abbas Mohammed said a would-be suicide bomber hid the explosives in a cart he was pushing that was filled with children's toys. The bomber was wounded and is in hospital.

The predominantly Shi'ite Turkmen town of Tuz Khurmato lies about 180 km north of Baghdad.

Mohammed said he feared the death toll might rise.

A police source who declined to he named said 23 were wounded in the playground blast and most were children.

The playground bombing came a day after US forces killed nine children and wounded three in an air strike on a building where they said senior al Qaeda members were meeting. Six women were also killed and one wounded in the strike.

REUTERS NY RAI1349