Iraqis gather at the site of a blast in Baghdad

BBC

At least 18 people have been killed in attacks in Iraq targeting the security forces.

In the deadliest single incident, 11 soldiers were killed when a shooting and bombing attack hit an army checkpoint north of Baghdad, reports the BBC.

Another bomb killed seven police recruits in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, reports say.

Sunni insurgents linked to al-Qaeda have been blamed for much of the recent violence in Iraq.