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The photo taken on March 8, 2019 shows people standing beside a destroyed car following a car bomb explosion in Mosul, Iraq. At least one civilian was killed and seven others were injured Friday in a car bomb explosion in Iraq's northern city of Mosul, sources said. (Xinhua)

BAGHDAD, March 8 (Xinhua) -- At least one civilian was killed and seven others were injured Friday in a car bomb explosion in Mosul, the capital of Iraq's northern province of Nineveh, sources said.

The incident took place when a booby-trapped car exploded near a local restaurant in al-Muthana neighborhood in the eastern side of Mosul city, some 400 km north of Baghdad, Hussam Ebrahim, from Mosul police command, told Xinhua.

"Several civilians were injured in the attack which targeted a patrol of the Iraqi security forces," Ebrahim said, adding that the blast also damaged a restaurant building and nearby shops.

Meanwhile, health director general of Nineveh province Falah al-Taiy told Xinhua that a 13-year-old girl was killed in the explosion and seven others were wounded and are currently receiving treatment.

No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but IS militant group, in most cases, has been responsible for such attacks targeting security forces and areas where crowds of civilians gather, including markets, cafes and mosques.

The security situation in Iraq has been dramatically improved after security forces fully defeated the IS militants across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since regrouped in deserts and rugged areas, carrying out attacks against security forces and civilians despite the military operations from time to time to hunt them down.