A car bomb has exploded near one of Baghdad's major hospitals, killing six people and wounding 14, security officials said.

"Six people have been killed and 14 others wounded," an interior ministry official said.

The explosion took place in front of the morgue of Baghdad's Al-Yarmukh hospital, one of the main medical facilities in Iraq's capital, at around 18:00 GMT, a defence ministry official said.

Several shops near the hospital were also destroyed by the explosion.

Initial reports suggested that the blast targeted an interior ministry convoy.