Bomb attacks in Iraq kill 5 troops near Baghdad

Iraqi officials say a suicide car bomb and another bombing near Baghdad have killed five members of the country's security forces.

Police officials say the suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car against a police checkpoint in southern Baghdad today, killing three policemen and wounding four others.

Earlier in the day, a roadside bomb struck the car with two anti-al-Qaida Sunni militiamen in Baghdad's northeastern suburb of Husseiniyah, killing them both.

The militia, known as Sahwa, joined forces with US troops at the height of the Iraq war to fight al-Qaida. Iraqi troops and Sahwa fighters have been a favourite target for Sunni insurgents, who consider them to be traitors.
 

Medical officials confirmed the causalities. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they're not authorised to talk to media.