Erbil investigates fire at Langa Bazar: governor

Shafaq News/ The head of the local government in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, Omed Khoshnaw, on Wednesday said that a committee will investigate the cause of a fire that broke out in the used clothes market earlier this week.

Khoshnaw told reporters after performing Eid prayers in Erbil that "unwanted incidents have occurred in popular markets such as the used clothes market (the 'Langa' or 'Bala') previously." However, he added, "We have doubts about the incident in the past two days, because the causes of the other incidents were clear."

"But in the past two days, a committee has been formed to investigate the incident and how it happened. The surveillance cameras reveal a lot. After Ramadan, the investigation committee will announce the results of all the cases that have raised public opinion."

He added, "We understand the concerns of the used clothes market traders...The rehabilitation of the place will start as soon as possible, and all remarks of the shop owners will be taken into consideration."

On the morning of Monday, April 8, a fire destroyed more than 150 shops in the Bala market in central Erbil. This comes less than two months after a similar fire in the market.

A "unknown" Turkish group claimed responsibility for the fire that destroyed the thrift market in Erbil, the second in two months.

The group said in a statement published on a website called "ahdi milli teskilati" or "National Covenant Organization" that its members set fire to the Erbil market on 16 sites.

According to the statement of this group, it demands "dealing in the Turkish lira and raising the Turkish flag in the Erbil Citadel."

The same "unknown" group had claimed responsibility for the fire that broke out in the thrift market in Erbil on the evening of February 27, and said that it destroyed more than 1,000 shops. It also claimed to have carried out similar activities in Kirkuk and northern Syria.