VIDEO: Tribal row over public park in Baghdad kills bypassers
Renewed clashes between tribes in a northern suburb of Iraq’s capital resulted in the death of two people, wounding two more.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Renewed clashes between tribes in a northern suburb of Iraq’s capital resulted in the death of two people, wounding two more.
The predominantly Shia area of al-Hubeidiya has witnessed a rise in tribal violence between the al-Kaabi and al-Daraji families engaged in a fierce row over a state-owned public park.
The disagreements began as a member of the Daraji clan stated the park and its playground should be reserved for children and residents of the area. His neighbor, from the Kaabi family, said the park should solely be used as a receiving area for tribal meetings, known as a “Diwan,” according to an eyewitness.
“The Kaabi clan member wants to turn the park into a hosting area for tribes, and asked his Daraji neighbor not to open the park during Eid al-Adha... [The latter] refused, and things escalated. It eventually turned into an armed confrontation,” an eyewitness told Kurdistan 24.
A security source on Tuesday told Kurdistan 24 the armed clashes between the two clans resulted in the deaths of two bypassers who were not involved in the quarrel. Two others were wounded.
“It is a tense situation.”
The dispute had been going on for about two days but turned violent on Tuesday morning, prompting other tribes to intervene and exacerbate the situation.
Tribal conflicts often occur in the central and southern provinces of Iraq. Security forces find it challenging to intervene in tribal disputes, often failing to disarm tribes who resort to armed violence to resolve disagreements.
Editing by Nadia Riva