Nine members of Iraq's federal police were killed in an attack near Kirkuk in the country's north on Sunday, according to two police sources, who accused IS terrorists of the attack.

The truck transporting the men was initially targeted by a bomb blast. On the condition of anonymity, a federal police officer told AFP that it was followed by "a direct attack with small arms" near the village of Chalal Al-Matar.

"We killed one of their personnel, and we are searching for the others," the source added.

An official at the Ministry of Interior in Baghdad confirmed the attack, saying that at least seven policemen, including an officer, were killed.

Updates to follow...