An apparent suicide car bomb attack killed 25 people and wounded more than 70 others Thursday morning near Iraq's army recruiting center, the US military said.

The bodies of many killed and injured were scattered around the scene outside the heavily fortified al-Muthanna airport outside the center of the Iraqi capital.

More than 10 vehicles were damaged in the blast, which shattered windows and scattered glass across the street.

Dozens of volunteers were participating in the rescue operation and heaping th mutilated bodies into ambulances, as police cars were transferring them to the nearby hospitals.

The Iraqi police and the US army raced to the scene and immediatly sealed off the area after the attack, which was the second to have targeted the base this year.

A suicide car bombing at the base on Feb. 11 killed 47 Iraqi army recruits and passersby.