Public Outrage in Iraqi Kurdistan Over Killings by Armed Forces
Recent incidents in the Iraqi Kurdistan region have sparked public outrage due to increasing killings by Kurdish armed forces in urban areas, in violation of disarmament laws. Despite efforts to register and collect unlicensed guns, registered firearms carried by Kurdish forces have been involved in alarming acts of violence, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians.
The latest victim, Ari Rizgar, was a young Kurdish man running a small teashop in Sulaimaniyah’s Raparin neighborhood when he was fatally shot by two men. The suspects, including a member of the Commando Forces, have been arrested in connection with the murder.
Former PUK co-president Lahur Sheikh Jangi has accused senior PUK leaders of destabilizing security in Sulaimaniyah by allowing armed forces to enter cities for arrests and killings, contrary to the law. These incidents have raised concerns about the enforcement of disarmament laws and the role of Kurdish armed forces in maintaining public security.
The upcoming parliamentary elections have added a political dimension to the situation, with speculations that the assassination of Rizgar may have been targeted at intimidating Jangi’s loyalists and voters.
The region’s history of internal conflicts further underscores the gravity of the current security challenges faced by Kurdish authorities. Efforts to unify Kurdish forces under the KRG’s Ministry of Peshmerga have been hindered by political divisions between major parties.