Baghdad, Dec 8 (DPA) At least four bombs exploded in central Baghdad Tuesday morning, killing dozens of people, according to reports.
Initial accounts from witnesses reported 42 dead and 90 wounded. The al-Arabiya broadcaster reported up to 65 deaths.

The explosions took place near a market in the centre of the Iraqi capital.

Witnesses described panic in the streets after the blasts, which hit the central districts of al-Shurja, al-Qahira, and al-Karkh.

Police said they expected the number of dead and wounded to rise rapidly as relief efforts got under way since the area was full of shoppers at the time of the blasts.

Security forces closed all checkpoints in the city following the attack. Heavy phone traffic temporarily knocked out the mobile phone network following the blasts, al-Jazeera reported.