Gunmen have shot and killed a senior member of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, Munir Kafili, in an armed attack in Kirkuk on Tuesday.

Reports state that Kafili died at the scene after sustaining a gunshot to the head when his vehicle came under fire.

Iraqi Turkmen have found themselves in a cross-fire since western city of Mosul was occupied by the self-styled Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on June 10.

Iraqi government forces withdrew from Kirkuk, but were quickly replaced by Kurdish Peshmerga forces from the autonomous Kurdish Regional Government of northern Iraq.

Iraqi Turkmen leader Ersad Salihi recently announced that his community would be forming vigilante groups to defend Kirkuk from ISIL attacks.

Kafili was also a key member of the Kirkuk parliament.

almanar.com