July 28 (Bloomberg) -- At least 49 people were killed and about 250 injured in four suicide attacks across Iraq that targeted a Shiite Muslim religious festival in Baghdad and a political rally in Kirkuk. The bombers were believed to be women, the Associated Press reported.

Three bombers attacked Shiite pilgrims on their way to a shrine in Baghdad, killing 24 people and wounding 70, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan said on the party's Web site. Women and children died in the attack, the PUK said. The worshippers were headed for the shrine of Musa al- Kadhim for an annual ceremony to commemorate the death of the ninth-century Shiite imam.

A bomber in Kirkuk killed 25 people and injured 180, the PUK said, citing police. Three suspects were arrested, the party said. Thousands of people had gathered in the northern oil hub to protest a new provincial election law that was rejected by the Presidency Council last week. The Kurdish alliance, which boycotted a vote on the law, wants a referendum in the city, as promised by the Iraqi central government.31

Sectarian violence between minority Sunni Muslims and the Shiite majority had eased since the February 2006 bombing and partial destruction of the Shiite Golden Mosque in Samarra unleashed a nationwide wave of attacks. Almost 6,000 Iraqis were killed in violence in May and June 2006, according to Iraqi government figures cited by the United Nations.

``The United States condemns the violent attacks on innocent Iraqis,'' White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe told reporters in Washington today. ``We urge the Iraqi people and government to respond with calm determination to the threat from violent extremists who seek to destabilize the country.''

Bridge Stampede

During the Shiite festivities of 2005, at least 953 pilgrims were killed in a stampede on a bridge in northern Baghdad that was prompted by an attack on a nearby mosque. The victims were among 3 million pilgrims who massed in the Khadimiyah neighborhood for the annual ceremony.

This year's celebration to commemorate the death of al- Kadhim is expected to attract around 1 million worshippers, Agence France-Presse reported.

A relative lull in violence followed an American troop ``surge,'' and led to the withdrawal of five U.S. combat brigades. The U.S. and Iraq are negotiating an agreement that will determine the role of American troops after their United Nations mandate expires at year-end.

`Right Direction'

The two sides are ``moving in the right direction'' in talks on the agreement, Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad Bolani said in Washington today. Iraq is working to provide enough training for its own troops to take over when the time comes for U.S. withdrawal, he said.

``They have acquired experience and they have demonstrated, in fighting terrorism and fighting the insurgency'' their ability in certain parts of the country, Bolani said during a visit to the State Department to discuss training and the agreement.

Hurdles remain in ensuring the country's military and police are fully prepared, he said.

``After all that, perhaps we can determine and look into the issue of decreasing the forces,'' Bolani said. He wasn't specific on what form of agreement the U.S. and Iraq might reach before the UN mandate expires.

To contact the reporter on this story: Camilla Hall in London at chall24@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: July 28, 2008 14:28 EDT