The attacks pushed the death count to over 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.

At least 14 other people were killed in attacks elsewhere overnight and into Sunday, and the body of kidnapped Iraqi karate association chief Ali Shakir was found floating in the Tigris river southeast of Baghdad.

In the deadliest blast yesterday, a suicide bomber blew himself up at an Iraqi military recruiting center at Muthana airfield near central Baghdad, killing 25 people and wounding 47, according to the U.S. military and hospital officials.

The explosion occurred just before 9am as about 400 would-be recruits were crowded outside the gate of the center, which had been hit several times before by suicide attackers.

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

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

In the northern city of Mosul, a suicide car bomber rammed into a police convoy carrying Brig. Gen. Salim Salih Meshaal, killing four policemen and wounding three, police said. Meshaal was not injured.

A suicide car bomb also exploded in Kirkuk, killing at least four civilians and wounding 15, police said. The attack occurred on a highway near a hospital and municipal building and the force of the blast toppled a few trees and shattered windows in surrounding buildings.