At least three police officers were killed in Iraqi Kurdistan during an operation to arrest an opposition leader.

MADRID, 22 (EUROPA PRESS)

At least three Kurdish security forces officers have been killed during an operation to arrest opposition leader Lahur Talabani, who is currently under judicial arrest for alleged murder.

Talabani was vice president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the major Kurdish parties, before eventually forming his own party, the Popular Front.

The operation was unleashed early this morning at the Lalezar Hotel in Suleimaniya province, where the PUK is the leading political force.

Talabani was entrenched there with several of his brothers and dozens of armed bodyguards when security forces began surrounding the area, sparking a shootout that would last four hours, according to the official Kurdish news agency Rudaw.

Talabani's brothers, Polad and Aso Sheikh Jangi, were also arrested, according to a security source. Polad was injured, the source added.

Shortly after, Kurdish security forces confirmed to the same media outlet that the detainee has been charged with "premeditated and intentional homicide of another person," without giving further details.

"We assure all parties that this operation was carried out based on a judicial decision to execute the arrest warrant issued by the honorable judge, so that no deviant group or party is above the law and security and peace are preserved as always," they added.