Suicide car bomber kills 18 in attack

Most of the victims were police officers who worked in the forensic investigation office at Tahariyat Square in the central district of Karradah.

It followed three suicide attacks against hotels in the city on Monday.

The bombings – all against prominent and heavily fortified targets – have dealt yet another blow to an Iraqi government struggling to answer for security lapses that have allowed attackers to carry out a number of massive attacks in the capital since August.

The office targeted in yesterday's attack mainly deals with data collected during criminal investigations, including fingerprints and other evidence. The office is located next to the Interior Ministry's major crimes office, which deals with terrorism.

Government offices have been frequent targets of attacks in the capital since blasts struck the foreign and finance ministries in August, raising questions about the ability of Iraqi security forces to keep the country safe.

The bombing destroyed rooms on the ground floor of the building and damaged parts of the second floor. The office is surrounded by low-rise shops, takeaway restaurants and offices that were also damaged.

Meanwhile the toll from Monday's hotel attacks continued to rise, with 41 people confirmed killed and up to 106 injured.

The first explosion struck at about 3.40pm local time in the car park of the Sheraton Hotel, toppling high concrete blast walls protecting the site and damaging a number of buildings along the Abu Nawas esplanade.

Two other blasts followed, striking near the Babylon Hotel and al-Hamra Hotel, which is popular with Western journalists and foreign security contractors.