BAGHDAD, Nov 6: A car bomb at the entrance to an Iraqi army base while new recruits were massed at the gate killed at least 25 people on Tuesday, in the country’s deadliest single attack in more than three months.

The attack was not owned by any group, but previous bombings against security force recruitment drives have been claimed by Al Qaeda’s front group in Iraq, which views soldiers, policemen and civil servants as supporters of the Baghdad government.

The midday blast in the town of Taji, 25kms north of the capital, is likely to raise fresh concerns about the capabilities of Iraq's security forces 11 months after the departure of American troops.

A medic put the toll at 25 dead and 40 wounded from the car bomb, while an interior ministry official said 26 people were killed and 30 were hurt.—AFP