Officials in Iraq's northern city of Kirkuk say a series of blasts have killed at least 24 people and wounded nearly 100 others.
Police said suicide bombers detonated at least four cars and one truck in several attacks across the oil-rich city with a majority Kurdish population.
In Baghdad, police found 24 bodies that showed signs of having been tortured. Almost 200 bodies have been found around the capital since Wednesday.
Iraq's top security official blamed criminals, sectarian conflicts and al Qaida terrorists for the killings.
Speaking on U.S. television Mowaffak al-Rubiae said the grisly killings are aimed demoralizing Iraq's security forces and frightening Iraqi people.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced that a sailor attached to the Marines has died from combat wounds sustained in Anbar province, west of Baghdad.
The military also said that U.S. and Iraqi troops, combing the town of Diwaniya, south of the Iraqi capital have arrested more than 30 suspected terrorists.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.