A car bomb killed 12 people and wounded 25 others in southern Baghdad this afternoon.
A police spokesman said several children were among the dead and wounded in the attack in the mainly Shi'ite neighbourhood of Abu Dshir.
The car exploded near a restaurant, police said.
US and Iraqi forces have launched a major military operation in and around Baghdad to stem sectarian bloodshed between majority Shi'ite and minority Sunni Arabs.
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They have walled off popular markets, closed streets and stepped up the number of checkpoints to thwart attacks.