At least eight people were killed north of Iraq's capital Tuesday as Baghdad officials attempt to counter the jihadist offensive sweeping the country, according to Agence France Presse.
According to the AFP report, a suicide bomber blew himself up at a checkpoint near the town of Samarra right outside of the capital, leaving three police and two civilians dead. Another seven were wounded in the attack.
A roadside bomb in Samarra also left another three police officials dead and two others wounded.
Samarra has been a site of sectarian clashes in recent years, with the 2006 Shiite shring bombing considered one of the key incidents that sparked the 2007-08 sectarian clashes throughout the country that left tens of thousands dead.
Government forces more recently have been attempting to counter the jihadist-led offensive that has left Baghdad vying for control of territory in five of its provinces and at its border with Syria.
The offensive, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), has left thousands dead or wounded and has forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.
At least 5,200 people have been killed in Iraq this year thus far, according to AFP estimates.
