Baghdad, Sept 25 (NDTV.COM) A car bomb exploded near a police patrol near the Iraqi Health Ministry in Baghdad on Sunday, killing six people.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry was hit by two mortar shells at 8:40 am (0440 GMT), which seriously injured three civilians.

As police patrolled the area later, a roadside bomb exploded killing four policemen and wounding four others. Two civilians were also killed in the attack, police said.

Iraqi and US troops immediately rushed to the scene and blocked the road where the blast took place.