14 killed in blast near Baghdad church

At least 14 people were killed and 31 wounded in a car bomb explosion near a church here Wednesday.

The attack occurred around noon, when the car bomb went off near Mar Youhanna church where people were celebrating Christmas, Xinhua quoted a police source as saying.

Iraq is witnessing its worst violence in recent years. According to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, 8,109 Iraqis - including 952 members of Iraqi security forces - were killed in the country from January to November this year.