Three Iraqi soldiers were killed on Friday as a suicide bomber blew himself up at an Iraqi army checkpoint west of Baghdad.

Three Iraqi soldiers were killed on Friday as a suicide bomber blew himself up at an Iraqi army checkpoint west of Baghdad.

An officer and a doctor reported the attack, as they said that five other soldiers were also wounded.

The bomber attacked the checkpoint at the entrance to the town of Heet in Anbar province at about 7:30 am (0430 GMT).

Militants frequently carry out attacks against security forces members and other government employees.

A sound bomb exploded near the sit-in square in Falluja, on the international highway, east of town, during Friday's noon prayer.

Car Bomb Kills Two

Two civilians killed and 7 others wounded when a car bomb went off north of Tikrit today.

"A car bomb was parked near the entrance of Siniyah county west of Baiji district exploded this afternoon near a checkpoint belonging to the police, killing two civilians and seriously wounding seven others and damaging a civilian car close to the blast as well, a security source said.

The Iraqi military aalso arrested nine gunmen in Jurfi-ssakhar area, 45 km northwest of Hilla, center of Babil province today.

Iraq has been rocked by attacks that killed and injured dozens. With the latest violence, almost 60 people have been killed in attacks so far this month, and over 4,750 since the beginning of the year, according to AFP figures based on security and medical sources.