Suicide car bomber attacks police station in southern Iraq

By the CNN Wire Staff

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Recent violence has called into question whether security forces can protect the country
The attack targets an emergency police station in central Basra
Basra is located nearly 300 miles south of Baghdad.

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Baghdad (CNN) -- A suicide attack on an Iraqi police station in the southern city of Basra killed at least four people and wounded 19 others Monday morning, a police official said.

The bomber detonated a car loaded with explosives at an emergency police station in the al-Ashar neighborhood in central Basra, said Police Chief Faisal Al-Abadi.

Basra is located about 480 kilometers (nearly 300 miles) south of Baghdad.

A recent wave of violence has raised questions about the capability of Iraqi security forces to protect the country as U.S. troops prepare to leave by January 1.

CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq and journalist Muhaiman Najm contributed to this report.