A huge car bomb blast that tore through a crowded market close to a Baghdad police headquarters building today killed at least 47 people in the deadliest single attack in the Iraqi capital in six months.
An Iraqi police man guards a car destroyed in a bomb in central Baghdad today.
An Internet statement in the name of the Tawhid and Jihad group led by Jordanian al-Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility for the blast, which it said was carried out by a suicide attacker.
Washington says Zarqawi is its top enemy in Iraq and has put a $25 million price on his head.
"With the grace of God, a lion from our martyrdom brigades was successful in striking a centre for apostate police volunteers," said the statement, which could not be verified.
The Health Ministry said 47 people were killed and 114 wounded. The Interior Ministry said at least one car bomb was used in the attack in Haifa street, a flashpoint area notorious as a stronghold of criminals and guerrillas.
In a separate incident in the restive town of Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, gunmen opened fire on a police minibus.
The town's police chief said 12 people were killed. Zarqawi's group also claimed responsibility for that attack.
Guerrillas also blew up oil pipelines in northern Iraq, cutting northern oil exports and forcing a nearby power station to be shut down. The attack meant large areas of Iraq were without electricity.