Minibus bomb 'kills seven' in southern Baghdad

Seven people have been killed in a bomb attack on a minibus in southern Baghdad, Iraqi officials say.

Twenty-four were also wounded when a device attached to the vehicle exploded in Abu Dshir, a Shia Muslim enclave in the mainly Sunni neighbourhood of Dora.

In past years the area witnessed brutal sectarian violence.

Overall, this has fallen sharply. But the area has been hit in a number of recent attacks and there are fears the sustained violence could return.

The US plans to withdraw troops from Iraqi cities and major towns by 30 June, and is due to end combat operations across Iraq by September 2010, leaving Iraqi security forces to cope alone.