Iraq and Barzanis accuse PKK for market fires in Iraqi Kurdistan

Both PKK and PUK deny responsibility for the fires in the markets of Iraqi Kurdistan

BAGHDAD,— The Iraqi and Kurdish interior ministries have pointed fingers at the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for causing a series of significant fires in bustling markets across Erbil, Duhok, and Kirkuk provinces.

These fires, which have plagued Iraq and the Kurdistan region in recent months, have resulted in numerous injuries, the destruction of hundreds of shops and storage spaces, and millions of dollars in financial losses.

Iraqi authorities on Monday announced the arrest of three people with ties to the PKK and suspected of planning attacks across the country.

In a joint briefing, the Iraqi and Kurdish interior ministries on Monday disclosed findings from their investigation, identifying the PKK as responsible for the fires.

The Kurdish interior ministry falls under the control of the Barzani clan, who hold authority over Erbil and Duhok and maintain a stance against the PKK.

They announced the arrest of three suspects linked to the incidents, all of whom confessed to being members of the PKK.

Among the arrested individuals are allegedly two affiliated with the Peshmerga’s Unit 70 forces, associated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Sulaimani-based Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG).

The Barzani clan, who govern one part of Iraqi Kurdistan, maintains strong diplomatic, economic, and political relations with the Turkish government. Turkey is a significant ally of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), providing support in oil, economic matters, and politics, while also strongly opposing the PKK.

Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesperson Muqdad Meeri emphasized that the PKK, a banned organization, orchestrated these acts to undermine commercial interests and provoke economic instability in the Kurdistan region, potentially targeting Turkey as well.

Meeri estimated the damages from the fires to be around $300 million, describing the incidents as deliberate attempts to disrupt public life and strain the relationship between the people and their government.

“An investigation had uncovered plans by PKK members to attack the Ceyhan oil pipeline, which connects Kirkuk, Erbil, and Duhok to Turkey.,” Meeri said.

Both the PKK and the PUK denies any connection to the market fires in Iraqi Kurdistan.

In March 2024, after meeting with Turkish officials, Iraq designated the PKK as a “banned organization.”

The PKK initiated armed conflict in 1984 against the Turkish state, which does not recognize Kurdish constitutional rights, aiming to secure greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority, comprising over 22.5 million people out of Turkey’s 84-million population. This conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,000 Turkish soldiers and Kurdish fighters.

Both within Turkey and globally, a large Kurdish community openly supports the PKK.

The PKK group focuses its attacks on Turkish military and government security installations while striving to prevent harm to civilians.

Iraqi Kurdistan, politically and geographically divided between the Barzani-led Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Talabani-led Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), reflects broader complexities in the region’s governance.

While Erbil and Duhok are under Barzani’s control, Sulaimani operates under the influence of the Talabani family.