BAGHDAD , Iraq ( CNN ) -- Three prominent tribal leaders , including the head of Saddam Hussein 's Sunni tribe and two others who had been working for national reconciliation , were killed over the past 24 hours in northern Iraq . Sunnis visit Saddam Hussein 's grave in 2007 . The man who took Hussein 's body for burial was killed Tuesday . A bomb on Tuesday killed Sheikh Ali al-Nida , head of the al-Bou Nasir tribe , which includes Hussein 's family , according to an official from Salaheddin province . The sheikh was traveling from Ouja , Hussein 's hometown , toward Tikrit when an explosive attached to his sport utility vehicle detonated . He and his driver were killed , and two bodyguards were critically wounded . Al-Nida was leader in Ouja of the Awakening Council , an American-backed group of former insurgents or their supporters . In December 2006 , al-Nida flew to Baghdad and picked up Hussein 's body for burial in Ouja after the former dictator 's execution . In Mosul , gunmen shot dead two tribal leaders from Tal Afar , an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said . Killed were Sheikh Abdul Nour Mohammed al-Tahhan of the Obeid tribe and Sheikh Mohammed Khalil Hamash of the Halabid tribe . They were headed to Tal Afar after attending a meeting in Mosul . Both are Sunni Arabs . They were working to bring together Shiites and Sunnis Turkmen in Tal Afar , which has a large Turkmen population . A Tal Afar official said both sheikhs played big roles in reconciliation there . Mosul and Tal Afar are large cities in Nineveh province , where American and Iraqi troops have been fighting al Qaeda in Iraq . Elsewhere in northern Iraq on Tuesday , Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition troops killed three suspected militants in an operation targeting al Qaeda in Iraq , the U.S. military said . The deaths occurred about 30 miles ( 48 kilometers ) southwest of Kirkuk during an operation targeting an insurgent `` with a long history '' of terrorist activities around Kirkuk , the military said . `` Three armed men refused to comply with instructions to surrender . Responding to the perceived hostile threat , Iraqi and coalition forces engaged the armed men with small-arms fire and supporting aircraft , killing all three terrorists , '' the military said . Five people were detained in the operation , and troops destroyed explosives and grenades found at the scene . Coalition troops have been battling Sunni Arab insurgents in much of northern Iraq , including Tameem province -- which includes oil-rich Kirkuk , where Kurds , Sunni Arabs and Turkmens have been jockeying for political power . Meanwhile , a top American diplomat , explaining talks with Iraq on a bilateral relationship , said Tuesday the United States believes Iraq should not be used as a `` platform '' for strikes on other states . Watch as Iraq 's prime minister reassures Iran about pact with U.S. » . David Satterfield , a senior adviser on Iraq at the State Department , said respect for Iraqi sovereignty is an underpinning of the talks , which he believes can be completed by the end of July . CNN 's Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report .
Leader of tribe that includes Saddam Hussein 's family dies in blast . Gunmen kill two other tribal leaders who support national security . U.S.-led coalition troops kill two suspected militants in northern Iraq . American diplomat : Iraq should n't be base for attacks on other states .