Roadside bombs kill 6 in Iraq’s Kirkuk

KIRKUK, Iraq

Six security personnel were killed Saturday in two separate roadside bomb attacks in Iraq’s northern Kirkuk city, according to a local police officer.

The attacks took place in Al-Khan area in southern Kirkuk, killing six members of the federal police and al-Hashd Al-Ashaeri, a pro-government Sunni tribal force, Kirkuk police chief Ali Kamal told Anadolu Agency.

Three police officers were also injured in the attacks, he said, blaming the Daesh terrorist group for the violence.

Earlier Saturday, six people were killed in Daesh attacks on a number of checkpoints in Kirkuk.

Saturday’s attacks come as Iraqis began voting in the country’s first parliamentary election since the country declared victory against the Daesh.

The terrorist group has threatened attacks against polling stations during Iraq's parliamentary election.

Saturday’s poll is the country’s first election since Daesh was decisively defeated late last year after overrunning much of northern and western Iraq in mid-2014.

Some 24 million people -- out of Iraq’s roughly 37-million-strong population – are eligible to cast ballots in the election.

The ballot is being held under the shadow of economic crisis, return of thousands of refugees, political polarization and security unrest.