Bomb exploded in Baghdad - Four people killed

BAGHDAD, AUGUST 17(AGENCIES) -- A roadside bomb exploded in a busy section of central Baghdad around noon Tuesday, killing four people and wounding 24 others, an Interior Ministry official said.

According to Col. Adnan Abdul Rahman, an improvised explosive device went off in the Rasheed Street area. He believes the bomb was targeting the nearby Bab al-Muadham police station but missed its mark.

The area is usually crowded at midday because of its proximity to a large market.

Meanwhile, an Iraqi National Conference delegation, heading for Najaf to meet with Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in hopes of ending bloody battles between his militia and U.S. and Iraqi forces, was delayed Tuesday amid security concerns, conference officials said.

The delegation was originally supposed to have left Baghdad no later than Tuesday morning, but intelligence information indicated an ambush was being planned for them.