Two sisters killed by brother in Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan

SULAIMANI, Iraqi Kurdistan region,—

Two sisters were found shot to death in a house in the Bakrajo area of Sulaimani city in Iraqi Kurdistan, known as Bashur, reportedly killed by their brother on Thursday, according to local police.

Sulaimani police spokesperson Sarkawt Ahmed told the media the two sisters, both in their twenties, had been found by the police in their house.

A police source said that he allegedly used a Kalashnikov rifle to attack them.

For the time being, the police keep mum about the motive behind the killings.

One sister was married and the other had been engaged at the time of the murders. Following the murder of his sisters, this brother reportedly turned the barrel on himself and died through suicide.

It highlights how gender-based violence is endemic in Iraqi Kurdistan; notoriously high levels of domestic abuse, honor killings, child marriages, and other forms of violence against women persist. While legal efforts and community awareness exist, cases remain rampant.

In June 2024, a 35-year-old Kurdish mother of three died after her brother set her on fire.

In April 2024, 19-year-old social media influencer Fairuz Azad was killed at the hands of her own family, which authorities believe was an honor-related crime. Just a month later, in May, an 18-year-old woman in Penjwen, Sulaimani province, was stabbed to death by her father.

According to data from the Directorate for Combating Violence Against Women, a total of 30 women were killed in the Kurdistan region in 2023 alone-a trend that continues to be alarming.

There have been 44 documented femicides in 2022 alone, one of the highest rates in recent history. The majority of them is usually directly connected with so-called “honor killings” or “social disputes,” words used to justify violent means against female members of their family.

The Kurdistan Regional Government KRG has taken some measures in an attempt to decrease gender-based violence, it initiated a supporting hotline for victims in 2018, and in 2021, it introduced a mobile application that would support women who are victims of abuse.

A domestic violence law enacted in 2011 provides a framework for prosecuting these crimes, although challenges remain in enforcement and victim protection.