KDP Calls for Dialogue and Restraint After Deadly Clashes Rock Sulaimani
Amid mounting tensions after violent confrontations in Sulaimani, the KDP urges all sides to pursue dialogue and prevent further escalation that threatens to destabilize the Region.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Monday condemned the deadly clashes that erupted during a pre-dawn military operation in Sulaimani on August 22, calling for calm, adherence to the rule of law, and dialogue to resolve disputes.
In a statement, the KDP’s Politburo expressed deep concern over the violence, which claimed multiple lives and injured dozens, describing it as a source of anxiety not only for the people of Sulaimani but also for the entire Kurdistan Region.
“Kurdistan is a constitutional entity, the outcome of years of struggle and sacrifice by its people, built on lawful institutions,” the statement read. “We emphasize respect for the sovereignty of law and the protection of stability in our beloved Sulaimani in particular, and in our Region as a whole.”
The party underscored that differences must be addressed through dialogue and understanding, warning that “any actions which undermine stability, coexistence, and the reputation of the Kurdistan Region must be firmly rejected.”
Offering condolences to the families of those killed and wishing a speedy recovery for the wounded, the KDP called on all sides to exercise restraint, avoid inflammatory rhetoric, and respect legal institutions.
The Lalezar Hotel Clash
The statement followed one of the most violent political confrontations in the Kurdistan Region in recent years. A massive operation carried out by Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) forces in the early hours of August 22 ended with the dramatic arrest of former PUK co-leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi and his brother, Polad.
Health officials confirmed three members of the PUK forces were killed and 19 others injured. But eyewitnesses and sources cited by Kurdistan24 claim the death toll among Sheikh Jangi’s loyalists—particularly his “Dupishk” (Scorpion) force—was significantly higher, possibly between 30 and 40, raising questions over the true human cost of the four-hour battle.
The confrontation, centered around the Lalezar Hotel in Sarchnar neighborhood, turned parts of Sulaimani into a war zone as tanks, rockets, and heavy machine guns were deployed. A drone attack on the PUK’s Force 70 Command added to the chaos.
Legal and Political Fallout
The Sulaimani Court confirmed that arrest warrants had been issued for Lahur Sheikh Jangi and associates under Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which covers acts endangering public security. Following the deaths and injuries, investigations will also proceed under Article 406, which relates to homicide.
In a statement, the Kurdistan Region Prime Minister’s Office said the Presidency of the Regional Government was “unaware of the operation until the final moments of the siege and attack” and stressed that disputes “must be resolved by law, not partisan violence.”
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani earlier appealed for restraint, warning that the violence threatened the stability of the Kurdistan Region as a whole.
The Kurdistan Independent Human Rights Commission strongly condemned the use of tanks and heavy weaponry in a civilian area, calling the operation a “military display” that violated legal procedure, since arrest warrants should be implemented by police, not counter-terrorism forces.
Aftermath and Escalation
Following the arrests, PUK forces swiftly moved to seize properties and assets linked to Sheikh Jangi, including Zoom TV and the Newroz Football Club. Critics described the seizures as treating political rival assets like “spoils of war.”
In a further escalation, Aras Sheikh Jangi, the brothers’ sibling, alleged that a Commando unit stormed and looted his home in Koya’s Kalkan village, saying forces broke doors and windows before carting away belongings.
“This is a personal escalation of a political conflict,” he told Kurdistan24.
A Power Struggle Turned Open War
The violence marks the culmination of a bitter power struggle inside the PUK dating back to July 2021, when Bafel Talabani sidelined his cousin Lahur Sheikh Jangi. Lahur was formally expelled later that year and went on to form the opposition People’s Front. The rivalry, once confined to party structures, has now erupted into open warfare with regional and international implications.
The United States, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), and Türkiye have all expressed concern, urging restraint and respect for legal processes. Domestically, the Kurdistan Presidency echoed these calls, warning that partisan violence undermines the stability and reputation of the Kurdistan Region.
For now, the Sheikh Jangi brothers remain in custody as investigations proceed, but the political and security aftershocks continue to ripple across the Kurdistan Region.
