A suicide bomber killed six people in western Baghdad on Sunday, a security spokesman said, a day after bomb and gun attacks hit a city north of the capital.

The bomber detonated an explosive belt in the Iskan area, also wounding 18 people, according to a statement from security spokesman Saad Maan.

ISIL terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes in the context of its suicide bombings against both civilians and security forces in Baghdad and other parts of the country.

The Baghdad attack came a day after militants killed 12 people in gun and bomb attacks claimed by ISIL in the city of Tikrit.

Iraqi forces are preparing for a push on Mosul, the last ISIL-held city in the country, after regaining much of the territory the jihadist group seized in June 2014.

But even as it loses ground, ISIL retains the ability to carry out deadly attacks in government-held areas, and is likely to increasingly turn to such insurgent tactics if it loses Mosul.

Source: AFP