Three female suicide bombers killed at least 32 people and wounded 102 when they blew themselves up among Shi'ites walking through the streets of Baghdad on a religious pilgrimage yesterday, Iraqi police said.

In the northern oil city of Kirkuk a suicide bomber killed 25 people and wounded 185 at a protest against a disputed local elections law, Iraqi health and security officials said.

The attacks mark one of the bloodiest days in Iraq in months and underscored the fragility of recent security gains in the country, where violence is at its lowest level since early 2004.