At least nine Iraqi federal police officers have been killed by a bomb that struck their convoy south-west of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, two security sources say.
The blast took place near the village of Safra, which lies about 30 kilometres south-west of Kirkuk, according to officials.
They said that said two other police officers were critically wounded.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has ordered a hunt for the "terrorist elements" who carried out the attack, his office said in a statement.
The federal police commander is conducting a further investigation in the area.
Islamic State claimed responsibility on Sunday (local time), with the militant group making the claim on its Telegram channel.
Iraqi police officers say Islamic State militants used roadside bombs to target the police force on patrol.
Iraq declared victory over the group — which once held large swathes of the country — in December 2017.
Kirkuk, 238 kilometres north of Baghdad, was taken back from Kurdish forces by the Iraqi military that same year.
The Kurdish Regional Government had controlled the city of 1 million people after Iraqi forces had departed the city following the rise of the Islamic State group.
Reuters/ABC
