Nechirvan Barzani Breaks Silence on Lalazar Incident, Urges Legal Process After Clashes
Peregraf
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has refrained from offering direct criticism or praise over the Lalazar incident and the way the case was handled, instead emphasizing the importance of the legal process.
Responding to a journalist’s question on Sunday about whether the method of handling the operation was appropriate, Barzani said: “What matters is that something has been done. What has happened has happened. What is important for us is that the legal process continues and the rule of law prevails.”
The remarks come after one of the most serious security escalations in years between rival factions in Sulaymaniyah.
The Lalazar Conflict
On August 22, heavy clashes erupted at the Lalazar Hotel in western Sulaymaniyah, which served as the headquarters of Lahur Sheikh Jangi, leader of the People’s Front (Baray Gal) and former co-president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Security forces — including the Asayish, Counter-Terrorism Group (CTG), and Commando units — surrounded the hotel early that morning to execute arrest warrants issued under Article 56 of Iraq’s Penal Code. Instead of surrendering, Sheikh Jangi’s loyalists, known as the Scorpion Force, fought back.
For more than three hours, the city witnessed heavy gunfire and explosions. By the end of the fighting, at least five people were killed — three members of the security forces and two of Sheikh Jangi’s fighters. Dozens were injured, and widespread property damage was reported in the surrounding area.
Sheikh Jangi, his brothers, and several senior aides were ultimately detained and are now under investigation.
The Lalazar incident has deepened political divisions in Kurdistan, particularly between the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). The PUK’s latest attacks on KDP-affiliated media outlets have heightened tensions, fueling concerns that the repercussions of the Lalazar conflict could extend far beyond the initial confrontation.