Three explosions rocked Iraq’s capital on Thursday, killing at least five people and wounding 19 others, media reports said.

At least three civilians were killed and seven injured when a suicide attacker detonated a car packed with explosives in eastern Baghdad, a police official said. The area was cordoned off by security forces and the injured were transported to a local hospital.

An improvised explosive device killed a police officer and injured three others when it went off in central Baghdad, Iraqi media informed.

The explosive charge was planted on a main road in a crowded region of Baghdad and was detonated when a police patrol passed through the area.

A similar incident took the life of an Iraqi and injured nine persons including two servicemen in north-east Baghdad. Again a police patrol was targeted by militants, but a bystander was killed when the powerful explosion ripped through the police vehicle.

Also on Thursday, Iraqi sources and US military officials released contradictory reports on a raid carried out by US and Iraqi forces in Sadr City.

The US army said Shiite gunmen were the targets of this operation and seven have been detained, but the Iraqi media claimed that one innocent civilian died and several others sustained injuries during the crackdown.

The US military statement said a joint US-Iraqi force stormed Sadr City early Thursday and arrested seven suspected Shiite militants. The operation’s main target was a top Shiite extremist, but security forces cam under fire and called in air support.

Coalition helicopters opened fire on the militants’ positions, while ground troops advanced through the area. Seven suspected insurgents were detained after troops rummaged several houses.

Again the security forces were attacked by gunmen as they were leaving the area, one US serviceman being injured in the ensuing gunbattle, but the injuries are not life threatening, the military said.

Meanwhile, Iraqi media said one persons was killed and several others were injured when a US helicopter opened fire on alleged militants and damaged a building. Several cars were torched during the two-hour operation, which reportedly ended with the arrest of eight people.