Baghdad, Iraq ? Iraqis seeking jobs with security forces were targeted once again Thursday when a suicide bomber with explosives strapped to his body mingled among hundreds of men and blew himself up in one of four attacks that killed 26 people.

The attacks are part of a surge of violence that has killed more than 200 since Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced his new government last week with seven positions still undecided.

Many recruitment centers, to prevent car bombings, have been turned into small fortresses surrounded by concrete blast walls and razor wire. But militants are striking back with an old weapon: the suicide bomber belt.

The Cabinet had its first meeting Thursday. Al-Jaafari aide Laith Kuba said the seven vacancies, including the key oil and defense ministries, would be filled by Saturday and parliament would be asked to vote on them Sunday.

In the deadliest attack, police said an insurgent blew himself up outside an army recruitment office a half mile from Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone, home to government offices, foreign embassies and U.S. forces.

“While we were standing in line, a man walked … right up to the heavily guarded entrance gate, as if he wanted to ask the guards a question,” said Anwar Wasfi, who was injured on his leg and arms. “Suddenly an explosion occurred, and I was knocked over. I passed out and opened my eyes wounded in the hospital.”

At least 13 people were killed and 20 wounded in the blast, Lt. Salam Wahab said at the recruitment center.

A similar attack Wednesday, in which a suicide bomber blew himself up in a line of police recruits in the northern city of Irbil, killed 60 Iraqis and wounded 150.

An Iraqi boy watches a U.S. Army vehicle burn after it was hit by a suicide bomber in the Dorah district of Baghdad, Iraq. At least 26 people were killed Thursday in attacks targeting Iraqi and U.S. security forces.

Col. Adnan Abdul Rahman, spokesman for the Iraqi Interior Ministry, said there had been an escalation in the use of suicide belts since security was stepped up near recruitment centers and other insurgent targets. Recent raids in and around Baghdad uncovered some assembled car bombs, he said, and foiled many attacks.

“But it is rather difficult to find out about an explosive belt put on by a person,” Rahman said.

On Jan. 30, Iraqis voted in historic parliamentary elections and private cars were banned from the streets; there were nine attacks that day by bombers who had explosives strapped to their bodies.