A car bomb detonated near a restaurant in central Baghdad on Saturday, killing four people and wounding 18 others, an Interior Ministry source told Xinhua.

"An explosive-laden car parked near the popular Khalid al-Saiyd in Bab al-Muaazam area, detonated on lunchtime," the source said on condition of anonymity.

Three policemen were among the casualties, the source said, adding that the explosion also damaged nearby shops and cars.

Iraqi police cordoned off the scene to investigate the incident, the source said.

Earlier in the day, three Iraqi soldiers were killed and eight others wounded when a roadside bomb struck their patrol in southern Baghdad, according to a ministry source.

Gunmen often attack Iraqi police and security forces, accusing them of being collaborators with U.S. occupation troops.

Source: Xinhua