Iraqi police say they have foiled an attempt by two boys, aged 15 and 10, to carry out a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday.

According to authorities, the 10-year-old boy was spotted and arrested near a police checkpoint in a village 15 kilometres east of the former Sunni rebel bastion of Fallujah. Police say he had been used by al-Qaeda in the past to place bombs.

The two boys had an explosives-rigged vest on under their traditional dishdasha robe. A neighbour of the 15-year-old boy was arrested. She allegedly spurred on the youth to carry out the suicide bomb attack.