Baghdad - A bomber walked into a large group of mourners gathered for a funeral in the Iraqi province of Diyala on Monday evening and detonated explosives strapped to his body, killing "many" and injuring "many more," police told an Iraqi news agency.

A local police officer told Baghdad's Voices of Iraq news agency that it was not immediately clear how many died or were wounded in that attack. "But," he said, "the death toll will likely be high because of the strength of the blast."

Monday evening's bombing was the fourth major bombing in central Iraq that day. Earlier on Monday, at least 18 people were killed and at least 20 wounded in three bomb attacks apparently targeting Iraqi Sunni tribesmen who have joined with Iraqi and US forces to fight insurgents in central and western Iraq. (dpa)