BAGHDAD, March 27: A suicide bomber killed 40 people waiting outside an Iraqi army recruitment centre as tension rose on Monday between Shia leaders and US forces over a deadly night raid in Baghdad.

Ten other Iraqis were killed in other incidents across Iraq — seven of them in mortar attacks in Baghdad.

The latest suicide bombing on the recruitment centre at an Iraqi army base called Tamarat near the town of Tal Afar, close to the Syrian border, was the deadliest single attack since a January suicide attack on police recruits in Ramadi.

A militant coalition led by Al Qaeda’s Iraq branch claimed it was behind the attack and the suicide bomber was a Saudi.

The council, established in January, groups seven Sunni armed factions and is dominated by Al Qaeda’s Iraqi branch, led by Abu Musab al Zarqawi.

The attack came hours after US-backed Iraqi special forces carried out a night-time raid in Baghdad, killing 16 Shias and triggering a raft of anti-US reactions from the dominant Shia political parties.

President Talabani ordered an investigation in the raids.

“I decided to set up a joint US-Iraqi committee which will be led by me to look into these raids and determine who is responsible for this,” Mr Talabani told reporters.

“This is a grave and dangerous incident.”—AFP