Two car bombs went off on Monday outside a building in a northern Iraqi town near Mosul, killing at least 20 people and wounding dozens others, witnesses said.

The blasts took place outside a residence in the town of TalAfar, 80 km west of Mosul, said witnesses, who added that the building was totally destroyed due to the powerful explosions.

Police sources said the twin bomb attacks appeared to target Hasan Baktash, a Shiite sheikh with ties to the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Mosul lies some 360 km northwest of Baghdad.

Insurgents have mounted attacks on senior government officials since a new Iraqi government was announced in late April, killing more than 550 people.

Earlier in the day, at least 26 people were killed in insurgent attacks and over 100 wounded.

Source: Xinhua