ERBIL — The Islamic State (IS) on Tuesday carried out an attack on the federal police forces in the disputed province of Kirkuk, a security source has revealed.

The incident reportedly occurred in the village of al-Sa'adunia in Kirkuk province, leaving a couple of police officers injured, the security source told Shafaq News, with no further details currently available on the issue.

Meanwhile, Major General Yehia Rasool, a spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, announced on Tuesday the arrest of nine IS members in separate operations.

The Counter-Terrorism Service "had apprehended nine ISIS elements in the Governorates of Al-Anbar, Nineveh, Saladin, Baghdad, and Kirkuk," the Iraqi spokesperson explained.

"The Agency arrested two terrorist elements in Al-Anbar and three others in Kirkuk and Saladin. In addition, special forces carried out two operations in Baghdad and Nineveh, which resulted in the arrest of two terrorists," he added.

Rasool pointed out that the counter-terrorism service also captured two other IS jihadists "in coordination with the Asayish of the Kurdistan Region in the Erbil governorate."

Although Iraq announced the Islamic State as "fully defeated" in 2017, the insurgent group still continues to harm the security forces and civilians in various areas of Iraq, particularly in the territories disputed between Erbil and Baghdad.

Tuesday's IS attacks comes a few days ahead of the Iraqi parliamentary elections as the jihadist group attempts to deteriorate the situation in the country through its sleeper cells.