Terrorists have struck behind the front lines in Iraq's capital, Baghdad, and the Kuridsh-controlled city of Kirkuk, killing almost 50 people.

Three bombs in Kirkuk, to the north of Iraq, killed 19 civilians while blasts in Baghdad killed eleven people.

Between them the bombings also wounded 136 people in the two cities.

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Destruction: Rescuers dash from the scene of car bombings in Kirkuk, part of Kurdish-controlled Iraq

Deaths: 19 people were killed in the northern city - above one of the victims is carries away

Wrecked: The bomb caused large amounts of damage in the city, which is a Kurdish seat of power

Investigation: Emergency services personnel inspect a wrecked car near the site of one explosion

Smoke rising: The strikes in the city are another example of violence behind the front lines with IS

It came as the conflict in the Middle East rumbled on, with Syrian warplanes launched further attacks on the Islamic State's (IS) power-based in Raqqa.

It was not clear whether the Islamic State, which now controls vast swathes of the country, was behind the bombings, or one of the other religious and political sects in the country.

The bombs today in Kirkuk exploded in a crowded commercial district, causing the 19 deaths and wounding another 112, according to police.

A witness said: '[I heard] an explosion between the cars, and then we started carrying out the dead bodies from there while people were burning inside the shops and cars.'

In Baghdad, a suicide bomber had earlier drove an explosives-laden car into the gate of the intelligence headquarters in the city's Karrada district.

Six civilians and five security personnel were killed, while 24 other were wounded.

Bombings in and around the capital are common - on Friday a Sunni mosque in a town 70 away from the capital was bombed, killing more than 60 people.

Syria: Meanwhile the Islamic State's capital, Raqqa, came under continued aerial assault - pictured is a hospital

Seat of power: Raqqa is the city where IS exerts most power and influence - but it is often bombed

Death from above: This grainy image of warplane, from Thursday, was taken near Raqqa

Blast: The city is also being shelled by ground forces - below a man rides his bike past scenes of destruction

Since early this year, Iraq has faced an onslaught by the Islamic State extremist group and allied Sunni militants, who have seized large areas in the country's west and north.

The group took over Iraq's second-largest city Mosul in June, and has since declared an Islamic state, or caliphate, in territory under its control in both Iraq and neighbouring Syria.

However, it continues to war with the forces of the Syrian regime, led by president Bashar Assad.

While it has captured large parts of Syria from Assad's forces, even in their centre of power, Raqqa, they are under attack from Syrian air power.