Insurgents in Iraq carried out a series of attacks Wednesday, as they pressed on with their violent campaign to disrupt Sunday's national elections.
In northern Iraq, around Kirkuk, three car bomb blasts killed at least five people, including policemen.
In Baquba, also in the north, at least one policeman was killed when gunmen attacked the local offices of three political parties contesting in the upcoming vote.
The U.S. military says one soldier was killed and two others wounded in Tikrit, where insurgents attacked their patrol with rocket propelled grenades. A U.S. military convoy also came under attack on the road to Baghdad's airport.
Tuesday, U.S. and Iraqi forces said they were stepping up security efforts ahead of Sunday's vote.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
