At least 10 Kurdish fighters were killed and 27 wounded during fighting overnight with Iraqi pro-government paramilitary forces in disputed Kirkuk province, a Kurdish official said Monday.

Sherzad Hassan, deputy director of health in the Chamchamal region, said the toll covered only hospitals in his area. 

According to Kurdish officials, dozens more peshmerga fighters were missing after Iraqi military forces launched operations against the Kurds following a standoff over a controversial independence referendum