Shafaq News / The Directorate of Forests and Environment Police in al-Sulaimaniyah governorate reported the arrest of an individual suspected of deliberately starting a fire that ravaged 500 dunums of grass and plants and destroyed 60,000 natural trees in the Arbat district.

The Directorate expressed regret over the incident which affected villages in the district. According to the report, each dunum is home to approximately 120 natural trees, making the environmental impact significant.

Following a report of the fire, a team from the Arbat Forest and Environment Police Station quickly responded to extinguish the flames and investigate the cause. Preliminary investigations led to the arrest of a suspect believed to be responsible for the blaze.

The statement also noted that, with the assistance of al-Sulaimaniyah Governorate's aviation team and the civil defense centers in Arbat, Azadi, and Tangaro, the fire was brought under control within four hours.