Car Bomb Kills at Least 12 in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A car bomb exploded in central Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 12 people and wounding 42, police and hospital officials said.

The bomb went off at 2 p.m. in the Sinak commercial district on the east side of the Tigris River.

Also in central Baghdad, a battle raged after insurgents hijacked two buses and kidnapped at least 15 passengers, police said.

At least three policemen had been killed and eight wounded, including four passersby, authorities said.

The small buses where traveling through the Fadhil neighborhood, a Sunni enclave in central Baghdad, when they were waylaid by unidentified gunmen in three cars at 10:15 a.m.

The insurgents then abducted at least 15 passengers and took them to a nearby abandoned government building, a police officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

The buses were heading from Baghdad's central Bab al-Mudham bus station to the city's eastern Shiite neighborhoods.

The fighting began when Iraqi security forces reached the scene about 30 minutes later, police said.

Nine militants were arrested as they attacked security forces from nearby alleys with light weapons.

According to Iraqi police, at least two U.S. helicopters were hovering overhead and U.S. forces had taken up positions near the fighting, but were not directly involved.

Sunni insurgents have repeatedly clashed with U.S. and Iraqi forces in the Fadhil area, which is also known for its high crime rate.