Middle East

At least nine Iraqi police officers killed in bomb blast near Kirkuk, say security sources

Authorities say Isis responsible for attack near Safra village which left two other policemen injured

Sun Dec 18 2022 - 16:07

At least nine Iraqi federal policemen were killed on Sunday after a bomb struck their convoy southwest of Kirkuk, two security sources have said.

The blast occurred near the Safra village, which lies about 30km southwest of Kirkuk. Two other policemen were also critically wounded.

Iraqi prime minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ordered a hunt for the “terrorist elements” who carried out the attack, dispatching the federal police commander to the area for further investigation, his office said in a statement.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Islamic State militants are active in the area. Iraq declared victory over the group, which once held large swathes of the country, in December 2017.

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Iraqi police officers said Islamic State, also known as Isis, militants were involved in the attack, using roadside bombs to target the police force patrolling the area.

Despite the defeat of the Islamic State militant group in 2017, remnants of the group switched to hit-and-run attacks against government forces in different parts of Iraq. – Reuters

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