Shafaq News – Baghdad / Erbil / Al-Sulaymaniyah (Updated at 16:45)
On Friday, Iraq’s Presidency condemned the violent clashes in al-Sulaymaniyah, urging restraint and strict adherence to constitutional and judicial procedures.
In its statement, the Presidency called for “upholding justice and protecting citizens’ security and stability” while avoiding further violence.
The appeal followed armed confrontations in central al-Sulaymaniyah, where counter-terrorism forces, commandos, and PUK Asayish stormed the Lalezar Hotel to enforce arrest warrants against the People’s Front (Bərêy Gel-PFP) Head Lahur Sheikh Jangi under Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code. The raid left at least three people dead and around ten injured.
Sheikh Jangi, once co-leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) before being sidelined by Bafel Talabani in 2021, founded the People’s Front, which secured two seats in the 2024 Kurdistan parliamentary elections.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s Spokesman, Sabah al-Numan, affirmed that Baghdad “will spare no effort to prevent sedition in all parts of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region,” stressing that measures must be applied impartially and within the law.
The Kurdistan Region Presidency called for calm, urging that disputes be resolved strictly within the law and offering condolences to victims’ families. Prime Minister Masrour Barzani separately warned that the clashes “threaten the security and stability of the Region” and appealed to all sides to end the fighting.
The UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) expressed regret over the “loss of life,” pressing all sides to exercise restraint, safeguard civilians, and uphold due process, while the US Embassy urged respect for human rights and judicial fairness.
The Kurdistan Region’s Independent Human Rights Commission also criticized the use of heavy weaponry and armored vehicles in executing court orders, saying police should have carried out the arrests instead of counter-terrorism units. The commission condemned the publication of detainees’ images on social media as a violation of due process and reaffirmed that “detainees remain innocent until proven guilty by a court ruling.”