Central Baghdad mortar strike kills child

A mortar strike near a hotel in central Baghdad killed one child and wounded three people today, emergency workers said.

"One child was killed and two people were injured," said Ahmed Fadil, an ambulance driver who raced to the site of the explosion.

Hospital staff later said three people were wounded in the attack, near a hotel used by American contractors.

Shortly after the blast, a woman supported by two men staggered along the street, shouting: "My son died, my son died."

"I saw a small child was killed, and another was injured, and taken to the hospital," said a witness. He said the boy who was killed was about 10 years old.