The U.S. Embassy says two American contract workers in Iraq are among 22 people killed Saturday in a pair of suicide car bombings.

The bombs went off in a square in central Baghdad.

Iraqi officials say nearly 30 people have been injured in the blasts that damaged shops and set fire to several cars.

Among the wounded are five school girls. They were hurt when the blasts damaged a school in the square and a minibus driving by.

The attacks are part of a surge in violence that has killed nearly 290 people since the new government was sworn in April 28.