More than 22 people were killed and 70 wounded in two separate bombings today in Baghdad, one targeting a commercial street and the other an army checkpoint, Iraqi police said.

The attacks come as Iraqi forces are trying to dislodge Islamic State militants from Falluja, their stronghold just west of Baghdad.

A car packed with explosive blew up in a commercial street of Baghdad al-Jadeeda (New Baghdad), an eastern district of the capital, killing at least 15 people and wounding over 50, a police officer said.

A suicide car bomb also targeted a main army checkpoint in Taji, just north of Baghdad, killing seven soldiers and wounding more than 20 others, he said