Car bomb blast kills three in central Baghdad: medics

The blast took place in Karrada, a neighbourhood that has been repeatedly targeted in recent years.

It targeted an entrance to the traffic police station on Abu Nawas street.

"The explosion took place on Abu Nawas Street in the Karrad neighbourhood," an interior ministry source told The New Arab.

"Three policemen were killed in the attack and the death toll is likely to rise," the source added.

At least seven were wounded in the attack, a hospital official confirmed.

Moments after the attack the burning shell of a car could be seen sending up a plume of thick black smoke as police fired into the air to disperse a small crowd.

One of the deadliest bombings to hit Karrada occurred in July 2016, when a suicide truck bomb explosion rocked a shopping centre ablaze and killed more than 320 people.

Nearly all suicide attacks are claimed by the Islamic State group, which is defending its last major Iraqi bastion of Mosul against a massive operation launched by security forces last October.

It was not immediately clear whether Friday's attack, which occurred shortly before 11:00 pm (2000 GMT), was a suicide blast.

Agencies contributed to this report.