Suicide bomber kills seven in Baghdad park

Iraqi security officials say a suicide bomber has blown himself up at a Baghdad park packed with families, killing at least seven people, including a policeman.

They say police and emergency workers intercepted the bomber as he entered the park in Shoala, a mainly Shia district in northern Baghdad, but he managed to set off his bomb before being caught.

At least 16 people were wounded in the attack late on Wednesday. It was the first attack in Baghdad since the May 17 start of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the bombing, which bore the hallmarks of the Islamic State extremist group.