BAGHDAD, Dhu-AlQa'dah 15, 1435, Sep 10, 2014, SPA -- Twin car bombs hit a police checkpoint near a pet market in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 19 people, Iraqi officials said. According to AP, police said the attack began when a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden car into a checkpoint manned by traffic police in the southeastern neighborhood of New Baghdad, killing five policemen and wounding nine others. Seconds later, a car bomb explosion near the market killed 14 shoppers and passers-by, wounding 35 others and killing dozens of pet birds. Several cars were damaged in the blasts. Security forces sealed off all the roads leading to the attack site. Medical officials confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to journalists. --SPA 17:55 LOCAL TIME 14:55 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w