At least 2 killed in car bomb attack in Iraq's Baghdad

At least two people were killed and seven others wounded on Tuesday in a car bomb explosion in southwestern the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, a police source told Xinhua.

The blast occurred in the morning when a booby-trapped car detonated at the industrial area in the Shiite neighborhood of Baiyaa, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The explosion destroyed at least seven nearby cars and caused damages to many shops and buildings, the source said.

The attack took place as the Iraqi security forces tightened security measures and blocked many streets leading to downtown Baghdad ahead of a rally scheduled in the afternoon to march in the funerals of protesters killed on Saturday's demonstration when clashes erupted between the security forces and thousands of people, mainly followers of the influential Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

The demonstrators protested over the widely spread corruption in the country and demanded a change in the election commission, which they argued that the electoral body is under the influence of leading parties.

Tuesday's car bomb attack also came as the Iraqi security forces backed by anti-IS international coalition are carrying out a major offensive to drive out the IS militants from its last major stronghold in and around Mosul. Endit