The attacks pushed the death count to more than 1,500 people killed in violence since April 28, when Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced his Shiite- and Kurd-dominated government in a country under attack from an insurgency led by Iraq's Sunni Arab minority.

In the deadliest blast Sunday, a man strapped with explosives blew himself up at an military recruiting center at Muthana airfield near central Baghdad, killing 25 and wounding 47, said the US military and hospital officials.

A doctor in Yarmouk Hospital's emergency room, Muhanad Jawad, confirmed the number of victims.

However, hospital officials did not rule out the possibility that more victims may have been taken elsewhere.

The explosion occurred just before 9am at the recruiting center, which had been hit several times before by suicide attackers. About 400 would-be recruits were jammed at the gate before the bomber detonated himself, said police sergeant Ali Hussein.

In February, a suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd outside the recruiting center, killing 21 people and wounding 27 more.

The Iraqi Islamic Party - the country's largest Sunni political party - denounced the attack, saying ``dozens of innocent Iraqis pay the price for these acts that we strongly condemn.''

Separately, a suicide car bomber rammed into a police convoy near the northern city of Mosul, killing four policemen and wounding three, officers said. The convoy was carrying Brigadier-General Salim Salih Meshaal, who escaped injury.

In a third attack, a suicide car bomber killed at least four civilians and wounded 15 more in Kirkuk, the police said. The attack occurred on a highway near a hospital and municipal building.

The bomber used a Mercedes Benz and the target appeared to be civilians because there were no military or police convoys nearby, authorities said.

Most of the casualties were people headed for Kirkuk General Hospital, police officers said. Three of the wounded were hospital employees.

The force of the blast toppled a few trees and shattered several windows in surrounding buildings.

US troops also carried out a controlled explosion on a parked car rigged with a bomb less than 100 meters away from the first blast in Kirkuk.

The second car was intended to cause more casualties as security forces arrived at the scene, the police said.

A third car bomb was found near the bus station in Kirkuk and authorities evacuated the area. Police said they are looking for two other car bombs in the city.

ASSOCIATED PRESS