12 worshippers have been killed by a bomblast at Sunni mosque after morning prayers on a major Muslim holiday.

According to the Iraq Official, Police Colonel Taha Salaheddin who disclosed the incident, the attack took place in Kirkuk today, wounding 24 people and 12 killed.

He recalled that more than 5,000 people have been killed in Irag since al-Qaeda and other groups stepped up attacks following a deadly crackdown against a Sunni Muslim protest camp in April.

He noted however that the latest attack had come despite tight security measures imposed by security forces to prevent attacks during the four-day Eid al-Adha celebrations.