BAGHDAD: An Iraqi official yesterday blamed a recent string of attacks targeting security forces on Al-Qaeda, but said the bombings would not derail the phased withdrawal of American troops.

“(Al-Qaeda) is trying to regain power through terrorist operations aimed at proving its existence and raising its spirits ahead of the withdrawal of US forces from the cities,” Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Askari said.

“It would be good for Al-Qaeda if US forces stayed in Iraq, because they could justify their kidnappings, bombings and killings,” he told AFP. A security pact signed with Washington requires the fewer than 140,000 US troops in Iraq to pull out from all cities and major towns by June 30 and complete their withdrawal from the country by the end of 2011.

At least three people were killed and eight wounded yesterday when three mortar rounds struck houses south of Baghdad, according to sources in Interior and Defense Ministries. The sources said the mortars landed on the houses in the evening, about 15 kilometers south of the Iraqi capital.

Askari’s remarks came a day after a suicide bomber disguised in a military uniform blew himself up inside a heavily guarded military compound west of Baghdad. There were widely varying accounts of the toll of the attack, with Askari saying 38 soldiers were wounded. However, senior officials from the Defense and Interior Ministries said 16 had been killed and another 50 wounded.

Civilians are not allowed into the base at Habbaniyah, and an AFP reporter who approached the compound on Thursday was turned away at an army checkpoint. Iraqi security forces also prevented anyone from visiting the wounded soldiers at the hospitals where they were being treated. Abdullatif Ahmad, a doctor at the main hospital in the nearby city of Ramadi, said it received 28 wounded soldiers.

Three of the wounded soldiers in Ramadi confirmed that the bomber had been wearing military uniform, but did not report seeing any bodies.

“The suicide bomber was short with dark skin. He wore a military uniform and exploded himself after shouting loudly,” said Ali Abdelhussain.