A suicide bomber blew up a tanker truck at police headquarters in the Iraqi city of Tikrit Monday, killing seven people in the latest in a spike in unrest ahead of the first elections since 2010. Eleven people were also wounded in the 8:40 am (0540 GMT) bombing in the city, hometown of executed dictator Saddam Hussein and remains a focus for insurgents, the police and medics said.

Militants seized control of a prison in the Iraqi city of Tikrit on Thursday night after fierce clashes with guards that left at least two dead and allowed some prisoners to escape.

The assault comes

Bombers killed 24 people in attacks on a mosque in central Iraq frequented by provincial officials and later at a hospital where the victims were being treated, officials said on Saturday.