6 killed as bomb explodes amid protests in Iraq's Tahrir Square

At least six people were killed and around 30 others suffered injuries when a bomb placed under a vehicle detonated near Tahrir Square in downtown Baghdad, the epicentre of the anti-government demonstrations in the country that has been continuing since earlier last month.

The blast, which happened at night, targeted a crowded area in al-Tayaran Square, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official told Xinhua news agency on conditions of anonymity.

The attack occurred where a large number of demonstrators from various areas of the capital and some neighbouring provinces converged at the nearby al-Tahrir Square to participate in the demonstrations that have been taking place there for several weeks, demanding comprehensive reform, accountability for corruption, improvement of public services and job opportunities.

However, no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, Anadolu Agency reported.

Iraq is witnessing mass protests which started against poor living conditions and rampant corruption but spiralled into demands for dissolving the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi.

According to Iraq's High Commission for Human Rights, at least 325 Iraqis have been killed and 15,000 injured since the protests began October 1.