VIDEO: Bomb explodes in Kurdistan’s Halabja, no human casualties

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A bomb exploded in the Kurdistan Region’s city of Halabja early morning on Sunday, but no human casualties were reported.

The blast took place in the Sharawani neighborhood at 2:35 am local time, Kurdistan 24 Correspondent Mohammad Halabjayi reported.

“Preliminary results suggest there were no human casualties, but the blast caused significant damage to nearby roads and infrastructure,” Halabjayi stated.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Local security has launched an investigation into the case, and it is unclear what type of bomb was used. Authorities believe it could have been an improvised explosive device (IED) or an explosive projectile.

Halabjayi reported that security in the area prevented him from filming the site of the explosion as well as temporarily confiscating his camera.

Halabja is a Kurdish city located 215 kilometers southeast of Erbil, and 10 kilometers from Iran’s border. It was officially recognized as the newest province in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq at the end of 2013.

It is also best known as being one of the areas which suffered the most from Saddam Hussein’s former regime’s Anfal campaign after it was hit by one of the deadliest chemical attacks in Kurdish history.  

Editing by Nadia Riva