Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki today confirmed that Government forces are to take over security next month in the southern province of Muthanna, news reports said.

A top government official said today that Iraq has an agreement to take over security responsibilities from foreign forces in the south of the country this month.

A SUICIDE bomber killed at least 21 people and wounded more than 40 at an Iraqi army recruiting centre in Western Baghdad yesterday.

The US military launched an investigation today into the cause of a devastating blast in a mess tent at a base in northern Iraq which killed 22 people and injured 72 in one of the deadliest attacks since the start of the war.

The Iraqi government says US and British warplanes have bombed targets in southern Iraq, causing no casualties.