A car bomb has gone off in northern Baghdad, killing at least four people and wounding eight others, medical and security officials say.

"A booby-trapped car parking near the Adan Square in Baghdad's neighborhood of Kadhimiyah exploded, " an Interior Ministry source said on condition of anonymity.

One medic said the bodies of four people were brought to al-Kadhimiyah hospital and that eight wounded were also admitted.

The toll could increase as ambulances continued taking casualties to nearby hospitals.

A recent surge in violence in Iraq has cast doubt on the efficacy of US President George W. Bush's Iraq's strategy.

The attack comes as US officials are preparing a series of reports about the efficacy of Bush's plan.