Coordinated blasts in the heart of the Iraqi capital Baghdad killed at least 21 people on Thursday.

The blasts went off near the heavily-fortified Green Zone, which houses several Western embassies.

The explosions, which also wounded at least 50 people, took place in the Alawi district, close to a number of Iraqi government offices.

Police said three car bombs went off in total, and at least one of them was carried out by a suicide attacker.

Another suicide bomber reportedly walked into the Justice Ministry while a group of armed militants attacked the same building.

At least six policemen were among the dead.