Police have stripped an explosives belt from a suspected child suicide bomber in northern Iraq.

Pictures show the moment Kurdish security forces stopped and searched the boy in a street in the city of Kirkuk on Sunday.

The child looked distressed as he was restrained by four officials who grappled with the youngster as they attempted to inspect the belt.

It was eventually removed from the boy's body and the explosives defused at the scene.

The boy, reportedly no older than 13, was arrested in the city's Huziran neighbourhood and driven away in a police car.


Image: Officers grapple with the boy as they inspect the device

His detention followed two suicide bombings in the city earlier the same day.

It comes a day after Turkish authorities blamed a child suicide bomber for killing at least 53 people and injuring 69 at a wedding in the city of Gaziantep

At least 22 of the victims were younger than 14, according to a government official. That attack is believed to have been carried out by Islamic State.