BAGHDAD - Bombs targeting security personnel in and around the Iraqi capital killed nine people Friday.
In the first attack, several bombs exploded at dawn outside a policeman's house in Saqlawiyah, 45 miles (75 kilometres) west of Baghdad. The blasts killed five members of his family, including his elderly mother and two children, police officials said.
Saqlawiyah is about six miles (10 kilometres) northwest of the former Sunni insurgent stronghold of Fallujah.
Two other members of the policeman's family were wounded. The policeman was not home at the time of the attack, the officials said.
Hours later, bombs planted near three mosques exploded minutes apart in and outside the Sunni-dominated Baghdad suburb of Abu Ghraib, killing four people, including three policemen. Eighteen others were wounded, officials said.
Those bombs were targeting members of the security forces guarding worshippers heading to perform Friday prayers.
Health officials confirmed the casualties. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to brief the media.
Violence has dropped dramatically across Iraq, but deadly bombings and shootings still happen nearly every day. Some officials have warned of an increase in attacks as the U.S. withdraws all of its 33,000 troops from Iraq by the end of the year.
