Two car bomb attacks kill 8 in Iraq's Fallujah

At least eight people were killed Sunday in two car bombings in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, local officials said.

A suicide car bomber detonated his explosive-laden vehicle at a checkpoint near the city’s western entrance, while another car bomb was detonated near a security checkpoint and busy café in the city centre, a police source told The New Arab.

Medical sources said three Iraqi soldiers were killed instantly in the first bombing, while the victims of the second bombing in the city centre were mainly civilians.

The Islamic State group claim responsibility for the attacks through its Amaq news agency.

Security forces imposed a temporary curfew on all vehicles and pedestrians in the city after the attack.

The attack comes as US Defence Secretary Ash Carter held talks with Iraqi officials in Baghdad about the ongoing military campaign to push IS out of Mosul, the militant group’s last bastion in Iraq.

Iraq's army, backed by paramilitary forces and a US-led coalition have been fighting to unseat the IS group from Mosul for eight weeks.

Around a quarter of the city has already been recaptured by the army, however militants are putting up stiff resistance, in addition to stepping up attacks elsewhere in Iraq to relieve pressure from the city.

In mid-November, IS struck Fallujah with twin bombings that killed at least 30 people and injured scores more.

Fallujah, which lies 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, was the first city to fall out of government control in 2014, months before IS swept across Iraq and declared its "caliphate".

A major offensive including several factions was launched in May to recapture the city from the Islamic State, and the city was declared fully liberated in late June.