A key leader of an alliance of Sunni Arab tribes that pushed al-Qaeda out of Iraq's western Anbar province was killed in a bomb attack today, police said.
Abdul Sattar Abu Risha was died in the blast near his home in Ramadi, capital of Anbar, less than two weeks after he met President George W Bush when the US leader made an unannounced visit to the region.
Two bodyguards and Abu Risha's private secretary were also killed, Ramadi police officer said.
"The sheikh's car was totally destroyed by the explosion," he added.
Abu Risha set up an alliance of tribal sheikhs in Anbar to fight al-Qaeda, an effort that has been held up by US leaders as one of the biggest success stories in improving security in Iraq after more than four years of war.
During his visit to Anbar early last week, Mr Bush said improved security there was an example of what could happen elsewhere in Iraq. From 2003 until last year, Anbar was the heartland of the Sunni Arab insurgency and the most dangerous part of Iraq.
Al-Qaeda once controlled large swathes of the desert region, but the rebellion by Sunni Arab tribal leaders against al-Qaeda has sharply reduced levels of violence.
The US military commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, highlighted the "particularly dramatic" security gains in Anbar during testimony to Congress in Washington this week.
Despite the security gains, the tribal alliance had shown signs of splintering in recent months over dissatisfaction with Abu Risha's leadership and infighting between tribal leaders