By DPA
Baghdad : Two car bombs simultaneously went off Wednesday in the Kadhimiyah neighbourhood in northern Baghdad, killing seven people and injuring 25, independent Voices of Iraq news agency reported citing a police source.
The first bomb went off at Al-Zahraa Square in Kadhimiyah district, while the second exploded near a women's prison in the same area, the source added.
The blasts caused severe damage to the nearby buildings and vehicles.
Kadhimiyah is a holy Shia city that hosts the shrines of two Shia Imams, the seventh Shia Imam Mousa al-Kadhem and his grandson Mohammed al-Jawad. It is located in northern Baghdad.
Three unidentified gunmen shot dead Sheikh Raheem al-Hesnawi, a representative of top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in front of his house Wednesday in Najaf, Voices of Iraq reported, citing a security source in Najaf city.
Al-Hesnawi is one of the prominent Shia clerics in al-Mekhshab region in southern Najaf, the report added. He moved to Najaf this year when he joined al-Sistani's office.
Najaf, 160 km southwest of Baghdad, is the most important Shia holy city as it hosts the shrine of Imam Ali, cousin of Prophet of Mohammed.