Latest news with #Sulaimani
Rudaw Net
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Sulaimani cousins missing three years after attempted asylum journey
Also in Kurdistan Turkish soldier killed in Kurdistan Region Low water levels halt power production at Dukan Dam Kurds are 'our brothers in arms': French consul general Kurdish opposition parties plan united front for federal election A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Sulaimani family has been searching for cousins Aram Idris and Mardin Jalal for the past three years after they went missing along the Greece-Turkey border while attempting to seek asylum. The cousins, both 26, disappeared without a trace over three years ago, and their families are desperately seeking information about their fate. 'I am always thinking about him and miss him. I wish they would bring him back to me now. I wish someone would bring him back to us as a surprise by bringing him into the room,' Najiba Abdulrahman, Idris's mother, told Rudaw. Uncertainty has left the families devastated, and they are appealing to authorities and the public for help in determining the whereabouts of their sons. Idris's mother said they recently heard claims that the Turkish police handed the pair over to forces in Afrin, explaining that some people informed them that 'they have been returned to some part of Syria, for a year now, and they have been handed over to some place around Afrin in Syria' But she regretted the complete lack of confirmed information about the two. Mardin's father told Rudaw that the family has remained very worried since his disappearance. 'Until this moment, there is no trace, there is no news,' Jalal Sharif said. 'We are very anxious and worried. I mean, I don't know if my son is alive or dead.' 'I also appeal to the concerned parties, I appeal to the government and the head of government and the relevant parties who have connection with this migration and these migrants,' Sharif added. 'We would thank the Kurdistan Regional Government if they could help us in this regard. I would greatly appreciate them." Tens of thousands of people from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region take on perilous routes out of the country towards Europe every year in hopes of escaping the endless crises in the country, including the lack of employment, political instability, and corruption.
Rudaw Net
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Turkish soldier killed in Kurdistan Region
Also in Kurdistan Sulaimani cousins missing three years after attempted asylum journey Low water levels halt power production at Dukan Dam Kurds are 'our brothers in arms': French consul general Kurdish opposition parties plan united front for federal election A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Turkish soldier was killed in the Kurdistan Region on Saturday after stepping on a mine during an operation in northern Duhok province, the defense ministry announced. In a statement, the ministry said that Onder Ozen 'was injured as a result of stepping on a mine/IED during the search and sweep operations' and 'was immediately taken to the hospital, where despite all interventions, he could not be saved.' Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been engaged in a decades-long armed conflict. Founded in 1978, the PKK initially struggled for an independent Kurdistan but now calls for increased political and cultural rights within Turkey. Ankara and its Western allies consider the group a terrorist organization. The incident occurred amid revived peace negotiations between both sides and the PKK's unilateral ceasefire, aimed at resolving more than four decades of conflict that has claimed over 40,000 lives. In late February, Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) relayed a landmark message by jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, in which he called on the PKK to disarm and disband. The PKK responded to Ocalan's message, expressing willingness to uphold his call and declaring a unilateral ceasefire with Turkey, while accusing Ankara of continuing attacks against its members. The group also requested a physical meeting with Ocalan as a precondition for the success of the peace process. As part of its outreach, the DEM Party has been meeting with leaders across the Kurdistan Region to build support for the peace initiative.
Rudaw Net
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Rudaw Net
Bloody clashes erupt between football fans in Sulaimani
Also in Kurdistan President Barzani welcomes new UK ambassador to Iraq, discusses bilateral ties Kurdistan Region leaders commemorate Kurdish Journalism Day DEM Party urges Kurdish support for Turkey-PKK peace process Soran police arrest couple on suspicion of invalid marriage A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Several people were injured after clashes broke out between fans of Sulaimani's Newroz Sports Club and Zakho Sports Club from Duhok, following a match held at Newroz's home stadium in Sulaimani, in the east of the Kurdistan Region, on Tuesday. The two teams were facing off as part of the Iraq Stars League, and with the match nearing its final moments and still goalless, tensions escalated. Fans stormed the pitch, leading to violent confrontations among supporters and even with some players. Footage obtained by Rudaw showed plastic seats being thrown from the stands, and at least one fan appearing to suffer a serious head injury that left him unconscious. Two other bloodied fans were also seen being rushed off the field by medics, who transferred the injured to nearby hospitals. While the exact cause of the clashes remains unclear, an injured Zakho SC fan told Rudaw that his eight-month-old daughter went missing during the chaos, but was found shortly afterward. He claimed the violence erupted after the referee awarded a penalty against one of the players. 'My daughter is eight months old, she went missing in the crowd. My leg is injured, and my whole body is in pain,' he said. Another fan told Rudaw that the clashes erupted after Zakho scored a goal that was believed to be offside. 'The root of the problem was that Zakho SC scored a goal that was offside, and the referee raised his flag. After that, Zakho fans began throwing bottles at the linesman to express their frustration.' In Matchweek 29 of the league, Newroz SC had aimed to break its streak of two consecutive draws and bring joy to its team and fans, especially given the dissatisfaction of the coaching staff. For its part, Zakho SC, having lost its last two matches, entered Tuesday's game under pressure. Frustrated and angry fans were hoping for a much-improved performance from their team after the disappointing results of the previous two matches. This is a developing story.
Rudaw Net
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
‘What's sweeter than reuniting with your family': Missing Kurd returns home
Also in Kurdistan President Barzani discusses Erbil-Baghdad issues, KRG formation with US charge d'affaires Peshmerga thwart suspected ISIS attack on Garmiyan shepherds Kurdistan Region PM asserts support for Turkey-PKK peace initiative PUK leader Talabani affirms support for Turkey-PKK peace efforts A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Saifulla Hussein, whose whereabouts were unknown for more than 20 years, returned safely to the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday after he was released from a Kenyan jail. 'I am incredibly happy to be home and in Kurdistan again. It is like a rebirth for me. What's sweeter than reuniting with your family,' he told Rudaw on his arrival at Sulaimani International Airport. Originally from Saruchawa on the outskirts of Ranya, Hussein fled the Kurdistan Region in 1996 during the Kurdish civil war. He traveled through Kenya before going on to the United Kingdom, which returned him to the African country. Kenyan authorities sentenced him to 20 years in prison for unknown reasons in 2003 and he lost contact with his family until mid-December 2024, after his release from jail. Asked what he missed during his confinement in Kenya, Hussein said: 'I missed my homeland a lot. I missed my parents. I missed all the people in Saruchawa and Kurdistan.' Kenya's ambassador to Iraq shared information about Hussein with Sulaimani's passport office, which immediately reached out to Hussein's family. 'After we received the first thread of the case, we steadfastly tried to prepare the required travel documents and flight ticket for him so that he could reunite with his family,' Colonel Salar Abdullah, the director of the passport office, told Rudaw. 'It is totally a new day for him and his family,' he added. Hunar Hussein, Hussein's brother, told Rudaw that the director of Sulaimani's passport office informed them of their brother's imprisonment in Kenya. They were later able to speak to him on the phone. Hussein is engaged to an African woman and has a son.
Rudaw Net
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
51kg of drugs seized, over 35 suspects arrested in the Kurdistan Region: Spox
Also in Kurdistan Masoud Barzani, DEM Party discuss peace talks in Turkey Electric vehicles no longer charged environment fees: KRG ministry Sulaimani teachers say will continue strike until demands are met DEM Party delegation to meet KDP's Masoud Barzani in Erbil A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Over 51 kilograms of narcotics have been confiscated and 35 individuals have been arrested in connection with international drug trafficking in Erbil and Duhok, a spokesman of the Kurdistan Region's Anti-Narcotics Directorate stated on Sunday. 'Thirty-five drug dealers were arrested in Erbil and Duhok, some of them are foreigners and trade narcotics internationally,' Arkan Biban explained, adding that '49 kilograms of Crystal and two kilograms of Heroin were also confiscated.' Of note, Crystal is often referent to Crystal meth but could also refer to other crystalline forms of drugs including MDMA and uncut Cocaine. Bibani explained that most of the 35 suspects are 'foreign dealers" while "the others are from the Kurdistan Region.' There are currently more than 5,700 prisoners jailed in the Kurdistan Region, of whom 1,527 are charged with drug-related offences, which is one-fifth of the total detainees. More than 800 of them are dealers and traffickers, according to information obtained by Rudaw from government sources. The Kurdistan Region Prime Minister in October 2023 stated that the region is ramping up efforts to combat drug-trafficking. Masrour Barzani further called on the population of the Kurdistan and international communities to cooperate with Erbil to eliminate what he described as an 'endemic' scourge. Erbil's labor and social affairs ministry in March warned about the spread of drugs, stressing that 'authorities had recorded an increase in drug usage and dealing among women,' in particular. Of note, a research study published in July by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office reported that Iraq - including the Kurdistan Region - has recorded 'a sharp increase in the trafficking and use of Captagon over the past five years.' The report added that Captagon seizures in Iraq increased by almost 3,380 percent in Iraq from 2019 to 2023. Iraq reported the seizure of over 4.1 tons of 'Captagon' tablets between January and December 2023 alone.'
