Car bomb hits central Baghdad

At least nine people are killed and more than 20 wounded in Karrada neighbourhood.

Iraqi soldiers
The US military has not announced American casualties from the attack [Reuters]
Civilian casualties
 
Overnight clashes in Sadr City left another eight people killed, including two children, officials said.
 

According to data collected by the interior, health and defence  ministries and made available to AFP news agency, 966 civilians were killed across Iraq in April, as were 69 police officers and 38 soldiers.

 

A security official said most of the fatalities were in clashes between troops and militia loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr, the anti-American Shia leader based in Sadr City, a sprawling Baghdad district of some two million people.

 

The fighting between security forces and Shia fighters erupted in the southern city of Basra on March 25, and spread quickly to other Shia areas of Iraq, particularly Sadr City.

Source: News Agencies