The bombings, which hit Iraq on Friday night, came as Iraqi forces battle the IS in Mosul

Suicide bombings at checkpoints in Baghdad and south Iraq claimed by the Islamic State group killed at least 35 people and wounded dozens more, officials said on Saturday.

The bombings, which hit Iraq on Friday night, came as Iraqi forces battle the IS in Mosul in a massive operation launched more than seven months ago to retake the country’s second city from the jihadists.

Forces kills attacker

In Baghdad, suicide car bombers attacked in the area of a checkpoint in the city’s southern Abu Dsheer area, killing 24 people and wounding 20, Brigadier General Saad Maan said.

Security forces were able to kill one of the attackers, but the second blew up his car bomb, Mr. Maan said.