PM Barzani's gun control regulations implemented in all provinces: Interior Minister

"Next week, we will issue a new mechanism for organizing the relationship between the government and the stores that sell guns."
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Interior Rebar Ahmed. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Interior Rebar Ahmed. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's new gun control regulations have been firmly implemented in all provinces of the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Minister of Interior Rebar Ahmed stated on Thursday. 

"These regulations will remain valid until further notice," Ahmed told a press conference. "Next week, we will issue a new mechanism for organizing the relationship between the government and the stores that sell guns." 

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc in Kurdistan Parliament stated on Thursday that it supports the prime minister's gun control regulations.

"Implementing the gun control law recently passed by the parliament will make a significant change on the ground," read the bloc's statement. "We fully support the prime minister's regulation in this regard." 

"Controlling guns needs a national campaign, and everyone must support it," the statement added. 

Sulaimani Governor Haval Abu-Bakir stated on Thursday that he closed all gun shops in the province and ordered checkpoints to search for unauthorized guns. 

"All unauthorized guns will be confiscated," he said.

Prime Minister Barzani directed internal security forces to shut down all businesses which sell firearms and confiscate unlicensed weapons to reduce the rising gun violence in the Kurdistan Region.

Read More: PM Barzani orders ban on sale of firearms, unlicensed weapons 

The decision was made following two deadly shooting incidents in the capital, which left four dead. 

On Thursday morning, a couple was gunned down in what officials called a "social feud". On Tuesday morning, a dismissed student gunned down two university professors in Erbil, causing a public outcry.