40 killed in Iraq suicide bombing

BAGHDAD - At least 40 people were killed Tuesday morning when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside an Iraqi army recruiting centre in Baghdad, officials were quoted by local media as saying.

At least 100 people were also injured in the blast which appeared to be targeting mostly soldiers, police and new recruits.

Further details were not immediately available.

Security forces have increasingly been coming under attack from insurgents in recent months as the US starts to wind down its presence in Iraq.

The US military, which led the invasion in 2003, remains on track for ending major combat operations in Iraq by the end of this month and reducing its presence to about 50,000 soldiers. All US forces are scheduled to be out of Iraq by the end of 2011, the White House has confirmed.