An assault on a Baghdad court that included twin suicide bombings killed 10 people Thursday, the latest in a spate of explosions in Iraq’s capital since an election last month.

An assault on a Baghdad court that included twin suicide bombings killed 10 people Thursday, the latest in a spate of explosions in Iraq's capital since an election last month.

The blasts, one of which involved an attacker setting off a car bomb, came minutes apart during morning rush hour in the commercial district of Karrada, near a crossroads that is the site of a hospital, police headquarters and the court building.

In all, 10 people were killed and 36 were wounded, security and medical officials said, with a spokesman warning the toll could have been higher had security forces not managed to kill a third suicide attacker.

"What happened near the Karrada court was an attempt by terrorists to break into the court," said Baghdad security spokesman Brigadier General Saad Maan, adding that security forces had "foiled" the assault.

Maan also added that "we lost some security forces" in the first blast, but did not say how many.

Ambulances rushed to the scene of the attacks as smoke could be seen rising above the Iraqi capital, while security forces closed off nearby roads, worsening already tight morning gridlock.

The violence comes two days after a wave of nationwide bloodshed, including nine car bombs in Baghdad alone, killed 42 people in Iraq's deadliest day since the April 30 polls.

Thursday's bombing was the latest in a protracted surge in violence that has killed more than 3,300 people this year.