Iraqi and Kurdish authorities have accused the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) of orchestrating a series of destructive fires across the provinces of Erbil, Duhok, and Kirkuk. The announcement came on Monday after an investigation led to the arrest of three suspects linked to the PKK, a group designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union.
The fires, which occurred over recent months, caused significant damage to bazaars and commercial areas, injuring hundreds and destroying numerous shops and storage units. The losses are estimated to be around $300 million. The frequency and pattern of the fires led officials and citizens to suspect deliberate arson.
Following the fires, an investigation team was established on the orders of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani. The Interior Ministry spokesman, Brigadier General Muqdad Meeri, confirmed the arrests of three individuals—two in Kirkuk and one in Diyala. The suspects, who were presented to reporters dressed in yellow jumpsuits with masked faces, admitted to being PKK members.
According to Meeri, the detainees revealed plans to conduct further attacks, including targeting the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline and setting fires in Baghdad’s Shorja and Sadr City markets. The suspects had used a flammable paste concealed in boxes of candy, cigarettes, and other goods, which ignited after several hours.
The operation to apprehend the suspects was coordinated with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG). Hemin Mirany, chief of staff to the KRG’s interior ministry, noted that two of the suspects were members of the Peshmerga’s Unit 70 forces and the Sulaimani-based Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG). The fires were described as “systematic” and “organized,” aimed at causing economic damage and sowing discord among the population.
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