At least 11 people have been killed in Iraq after attackers hit a police checkpoint and then detonated a car bomb at the entrance to the city of Tikrit.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack on the city, which is 150km north of Baghdad, reports Al Jazeera.

The attack came days after Iraqi forces recaptured the town of Shirqat, 100km north of Tikrit from IS.

One of Saturday's attackers was killed at the checkpoint after shooting dead four police officers around 5:00am local time (2:00am GMT), according to police and sources from Salahuddin Operations Command, which is responsible for security in the area.

Two other assailants continued about 7km to the city limits and detonated the explosives in their pickup truck, killing eight people and wounding 23, the report said.

Colonel Mohammed al-Jabouri said three assailants rammed their explosives-laden vehicles into the checkpoint killing 12 security officers and 34 others wounded.

He said the attack occurred as the local police chief and head of the provincial security committee were visiting the site. Both escaped unharmed.

BDST: 1558 HRS, SEP 24, 2016
NJ/SR