Four Deadly Blasts Strike Iraq Just Days Before Elections

Four blasts in and around Baghdad killed at least three people and wounded 16 Wednesday, police said.

Violence has persisted in recent days in the lead-up to Iraq's provincial elections scheduled for Saturday.

Wednesday's attacks included a car bombing of an Iraqi army convoy, a car bombing near a police station, a roadside bomb that struck a politician's convoy and another roadside bomb, police say.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad released a statement Tuesday condemning the ongoing violence, some of which has targeted people running for office.

"These attacks have killed more than a dozen candidates and injured many others." the statement said. "Such terrorist acts are a cowardly and unacceptable attempt to undermine Iraq's democracy and a desperate effort to intimidate Iraqis and deter them from participating in the democratic process."