One Killed As Militants Storm Government Building In North Iraq

An archive image of the historical city centre of Irbil, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (Picture: Jan Kurdistani).

Three militants have stormed a local government building in the city of Irbil in Iraq's northern Kurdish region, killing one employee and wounding a policeman before being gunned down, according to Iraqi media.

Local Kurdish security forces later managed to enter the building, Rudaw Television and Radio reported.

Security forces said one of the militants inside the building was killed. Iraqi state TV later said all three attackers were killed.

The city's deputy governor Tahir Abdullah said: "I'd like to reassure everyone that the situation is under control as security forces have entered the building and are searching for the attackers room-by-room."

Kurdistan 24, a local TV channel, broadcast video showing security personnel surrounding the building and trying to enter it, with gunfire audible in the background.

Iraqi state TV later declared the attack was over, but that one employee had been killed.

Kurdistan 24 showed images from inside the building, including the lifeless body of one attacker, pools of blood and multiple bullet holes.

No militant group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault.

Irbil is the capital of Iraq's self-governing northern Kurdish region, which typically enjoys good security.

The last major attack there took place in 2015 against the US consulate, killing three people and wounding five others.

One American teacher and two Turkish citizens were among the wounded, police said. The Islamic State group (IS) claimed responsibility for that attack.

Iraqi Kurdish forces, known as peshmerga, were key in the Iraqi military's defeat of IS last year.