BASRA, Iraq - The police chief of Iraq's second-largest city, Basra, survived a roadside bomb attack on Sunday, the first attempt on his life since British forces handed the city to Iraqi control on Dec. 18, police said.Abdul-Jalil Khalaf had already survived six assassination attempts since he was placed in control of Basra's police force in June, with orders to battle the Shia militias who held sway in the cityÂ’s streets. One of KhalafÂ’s bodyguards was wounded when two bombs exploded near the police chiefÂ’s convoy in the northern part of the city, police said. Khalaf himself was not hurt.
He has often been praised by US and British commanders as one of the most able leaders of IraqÂ’s security forces.