Police in the province of Babel confirmed 24 people were killed or wounded when a car bomb exploded in the centre of Hilla. The police chief Major General Fadhil Radad told  \'Arabstoday\' that a car bomb exploded at noon on Monday in the center of Hilla, killing 5 people and injuring 19 others. Ambulances ferried the wounded to a nearby hospital for treatment while the bodies of the dead were taken to mortuary. Security forces have taken strict measures in anticipation of further attacks, the chief of police added. The city of Hilla, 100 km south of the capital Baghdad, in the Babel province has been relatively stable, but areas north of the province are still experiencing unrest at the hands of armed men and groups who target civilians and officials alike.