BAGHDAD, Dec 24: A suicide bomber killed seven policemen in the latest deadly attack against Iraqi security forces on Sunday, as the embattled government drew up plans to secure war-torn Baghdad.

The bomber, explosives strapped to his chest and disguised as a policeman, struck during morning parade after infiltrating a police station in Muqdadiyah, around 100 kilometres north of the capital.

At least seven Iraqi officers were killed and another 30 wounded in a blast that damaged up to 40 per cent of the police station and gutted several patrol cars, Lieutenant Ali Ismail said.

Iraqi forces are subject to daily attack from insurgent groups and illegal militias. Elsewhere in Diyala, a soldier was killed and 16 others wounded when two roadside bombs exploded in Khanaqin, town mayor Mollah Hassan said.

Defence ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said the plan hinged on giving ground units greater autonomy to act independently and on permanent troop deployments to protect government institutions and civilians.

Under the blueprint, unit commanders would not need a green light from the US military or their Iraqi superiors before reacting on the ground to attacks.

“We are going to monitor behaviour and performance of these units,” to guard against abuse, Mr Askari said. “The idea is to put an army force in each zone to protect institutions and civilians.” US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has also instructed the top US commander in Iraq, General George Casey, to work out specifics of a plan to help restore security in Baghdad with Iraqis in the lead and US forces in a supporting role.

Three people, including a policeman, were killed and five others wounded in renewed clashes with the Mahdi Army in Samawa on Sunday.

Six US troops were killed in a string of attacks in war-torn Iraq on Saturday, the military announced on Christmas Eve.

Three military police were killed and one was wounded in Baghdad when their vehicle was hit by a roadside booby trap, said a statement released on Sunday.

Another soldier was killed and a second wounded in an explosion while operating in the flashpoint Diyala province north of Baghdad.

Two other soldiers were killed southeast and southwest of the capital in separate bombings on Saturday, other statements said.—AFP