At least nine Iraqi federal police officers have been killed in a bomb blast near the north-central Iraqi city of Kirkuk, security sources told the Reuters news agency.
Sources said those killed on Sunday were traveling in a convoy when the bomb exploded.
The explosion occurred near the village of Safra, which lies about 30 km southwest of Kirkuk. Two other officers were seriously injured.
A federal police officer said that “a direct attack with small arms” followed the explosion.
No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but ISIS militants are active in the area and Iraqi police officers said they were involved in the attack, using roadside bombs to target a police force patrolling the area.
Kirkuk, located 238 kilometers from Baghdad, was captured by Kurdish forces from Iraqi security forces in 2017.
