Seven killed in Iraq bombing

A bombing near a restive northern city in Iraq has killed seven police recruits and wounded 17 as they were lining up to apply for jobs, according to a police chief.

Kirkuk police commander Brigadier General Sarhad Qadir said the recruits had gathered in a car park this morning outside a military base about six miles outside the city of Kirkuk.

He said the recruits were applying for jobs as police with the state-run Northern Oil Co.

Kirkuk has been an Iraq flashpoint for years. Iraqi Arabs, Kurds and Turkomen all claim to a stake to its oil-rich land.

Last week, three Shiite mosques were attacked in Kirkuk in bombings that killed eight people. The city is located 180 miles north of Baghdad.