A police officer says gunmen in two SUVs opened fire on Wednesday morning on a military checkpoint in the Abu Ghraib area, killing one soldier and wounding five.

Another police officer says a parked car bomb went off in another part of Abu Ghraib, killing two civilians and wounding six people.

Two medical officials confirmed the causalities. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they are not authorized to talk to the media.

Violence has increased recently as Iraqis prepare for provincial elections on Saturday in an apparent attempt by insurgent to derail the first voting since the US troop withdrawal in December 2011.