Female bombers surrender

Eighteen young women belonging to a suicide bomber network in northern Iraq surrendered to US forces.

Major General Mark Hertling, who leads US forces in northern Iraq, said the women turned themselves in after a local cleric and their families persuaded them suicide attacks violated the tenets of Islam.

Mr Hertling said the cleric approached US forces earlier this week to inform them about a group of 21 women who were part of a suicide bombing network.

Yesterday, 18 of the women surrendered and signed a form promising not to conduct attacks as part of a reconciliation programme, Mr Hertling said.

“This will significantly affect at least part of the female network cells in the northern area of operations,” he said.