VIDEO: No casualties from explosion at Peshmerga depot near Erbil
An explosion occurred at a Peshmerga weapons depot in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, late Saturday evening.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – An explosion occurred at a Peshmerga weapons depot in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, late Saturday evening.
According to sources, a Peshmerga military depot caught on fire and exploded in Rashkin village near Erbil due to high temperatures, sparking a loud blast that was felt throughout the city.
In a phone call with Kurdistan 24, Nawzad Hadi, the Governor of Erbil, stated the incident was not an attack and that the fire was quickly under control.
The Commander of Zeravani Peshmerga, Aziz Waysi, speaking to Kurdistan 24 from nearby the affected area, also affirmed the explosion was not the result of terrorist activity and is being managed.
Waysi added that there were no casualties among the Peshmerga forces guarding the military depot.
According to officials, some of the ammunition and bombs stored in the depot had been seized from Islamic State (IS) extremists and dismantled at the front lines.
Editing by G.H. Renaud