Iraq blast hits Kirkuk Sunni mosque on Eid al

A bomb blast outside a mosque in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk has killed nine people, police say.

They say the explosion occurred after prayers marking the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Sectarian violence has surged across Iraq in recent months, reaching its highest level since 2008. About 6,000 people have been killed this year.

Oil-rich Kirkuk - home to a mixture of Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen - is one of Iraq's most bitterly contested areas.