Leader of Kurdistan’s People’s Front party arrested amid armed clashes in Iraq

Security forces in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region arrested Lahur Sheikh Jangi, leader of the opposition party People’s Front, and his brother Polad on Thursday during armed clashes in Sulaymaniyah, Turkish media reports.

The clashes began at the Lalezar Hotel around 3 a.m. and lasted approximately four hours. During the confrontation, two members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) were killed and 15 others injured.

The PUK, founded in 1975 by idealist and political activist Jalal Talabani, has long been one of the two main political forces in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

During the operation, Lahur Sheikh Jangi was handed over to PUK forces, while his brother was injured and taken into custody. His family has been moved to a secure location.

A preemptive arrest warrant had been issued by the Sulaymaniyah court for Lahur Sheikh Jangi. PUK-affiliated media also reported that armed forces commander Rebwar Hamid Haji Khalil was arrested.

Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani called on all parties to exercise restraint and resolve the issue through legal channels, emphasizing the need to prevent bloodshed and violence.