Cop sacrifices self to save pilgrims

Shiite faithful pilgrims march to Karbala for Arbaeen in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013. The holiday marks the end of the forty day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein the Prophet Muhammad's grandson. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim) (The Associated Press) — Shiite faithful pilgrims march to Karbala for Arbaeen in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013. The holiday marks the end of the forty day mourning period after the anniversary of the 7th century martyrdom of Imam Hussein the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim) (The Associated Press)

BAGHDAD. – An Iraqi policeman sacrificed himself yesterday as he tried to protect Shiite pilgrims, embracing a suicide bomber just moments before the man exploded, officials said.
The bomber struck in the Khales area northeast of Baghdad, killing five people and wounding 10, a police colonel and a doctor said.
The colonel said one of the dead was a policeman who had been guarding the pilgrims.

He threw his arms around the bomber just before the attack in a bid to shield others.
The policeman was Ayyub Khalaf (34) who was married and had two children, his friend Saad Naim told AFP.

“Ayyub was martyred while defending pilgrims, and his name will be an eternal symbol because he saved the lives of dozens of innocents,” Naim said.

“We will take revenge on the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation,” he added.
The Khales bombing was the latest in a wave of attacks targeting Shiite pilgrims, including two in Baghdad province that killed at least eight pilgrims on Tuesday, and two car bombings that took the lives of at least 24 who died on Monday. – AFP.