At least 24 people have died after ambulances loaded with explosives were detonated in two Iraqi cities.

The suicide attacks in Tikrit and Samarra come as Iraqi forces battle to clear areas taken from Islamic State around Mosul.

In Tikrit, a blast near an entrance to the city during the morning rush hour killed at least 13 people.

Meanwhile, at least 11 people died in an attack against Shia pilgrims in Samarra, about 60 miles north of Baghdad.

Image: The attack in Samarra killed at least 11 people near a Shia shrine

Ali al-Hamdani, spokesman for Salahuddin province, said a bomber parked an ambulance in the car park for a Shia shrine.


He walked up to pilgrims about 500 metres from the shrine, detonated his vehicle and then blew himself up, Mr al-Hamdani said.

Five female students, a woman and three policemen were among those killed, while up to 100 others were injured.

Islamic State has issued a statement claiming the bombings, which are the latest in a series of attacks during the three-week campaign to recapture Mosul.

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Government forces entered the outskirts of the city, held by IS since 2014, on Tuesday.

Some civilians have fled Mosul, while others are believed to have been held back by IS militants using them as human shields.

Lt Col Muhanad al-Timimi said: "There are a lot of civilians and we are trying to protect them. This is one of the hardest battles that we've faced until now."

Since they began pushing into Mosul city centre from the east on Friday, Iraqi forces have advanced just over a mile.

On the city's southern front Iraqi forces are still some 12 miles from the centre of the city.

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The advance has been slowed as Iraqi forces work their way through barricades and fortifications built up by militants.

Lt Col Muhannad Saed said: "Compared to our other battles their tactics include a lot of fortifications on the streets, holes filled with water, they have a lot of suicide bombers and suicide car bombs that they send toward us.

"Thirdly they use a new technique: they are using handmade bomber planes and they send them to bomb us.

"Thank God, tricks and weapons that terrorists have are failing. We are going on according to plan."