At least 12 Iraqi police officers have lost their lives as massive bomb blast hits the city of Kirkuk on Sunday.

A heavy explosion of a bomb in the path of two vehicles of the Iraqi Federal Police officers in the south of Kirkuk province has resulted in 12 deaths so far.

The blast took place near the village of Al-Safra in the Riyadh region, and two high-ranking officers were also among the dead.

Currently, security forces are widely present in the area and have blocked the entry and exit roads.

A security source told Baghdad Al-Youm that simultaneous with the bomb explosion, the terrorists started shooting at the police cars. An ISIL attacker was also killed in the conflict.