At least six army soldiers were killed in a bombing attack at a bridge near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Wednesday, police said.

The blast also injured 10 Iraqi soldiers when their patrol were crossing the bridge in the area of Ain al-Jahsh, 50 km south of Mosul, 400 km north of the capital Baghdad, a local police told Xinhua.

The attack came as Iraq is witnessing its worst violence in recent years, which raised fears that the increasing violence could bring the country to uncontrollable sectarian violence.

Earlier in the day, a series of car bombs and roadside bombs in central and eastern Iraq killed a total of 57 people and wounded 137 others.