BAGHDAD

Four policemen were killed and five others wounded Tuesday when an improvised explosive device detonated inside a police station in Kirkuk province in northern Iraq, according to an officer.

"During a routine combing patrol campaign, Federal Police forces found an explosive device from the remnants of Daesh/ISIS terrorist in al-Rashad district in Kirkuk province," the officer told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

"Federal Police transferred the device to one of its headquarters in order to neutralize and dismantle it, but it exploded at the explosives control team of the Federal Police," he said.​​​​​​​

In addition to casualties, the explosion damaged the headquarter building, according to the officer.

In June 2014, the Daesh/ISIS terror group captured Mosul, Salahuddin and Anbar provinces and parts of Diyala and Kirkuk which were later freed by Iraqi forces in late 2017 with support from a US-led coalition.

The Iraqi army continues to carry out frequent operations against Daesh/ISIS in parts of the country where the terror group recently mobilized sleeper cells in rural areas.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat