Baghdad car bomb kills at least 18

A bomb killed at least 18 people and wounded 25 in a busy Baghdad square, the US military said today.

Initial Iraqi police reports of the blast at al-Zahra square in the northern Baghdad Shiite neighbourhood of Kazimiyah, said it was a mortar round.

But three Iraqi police officers later said it was a parked car bomb, apparently targeting a taxi stand.

US Army Captain Charles Calios said initial military reports indicate it was a car bomb.