Peregraf
The Sulaymaniyah security forces allowed the relatives of those detained during the Lalazar incident to visit them in prison today.
A security source confirmed to Peregraf that most of the detainees are expected to be released in the coming days after signing a pledge.
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 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, resisted.
For more than three hours, the city witnessed intense gunfire and explosions. By the end of the clashes, at least five people were killed — three members of the security forces and two of Sheikh Jangi’s fighters. Dozens were injured, more than 100 were detained, and significant property damage was reported in the surrounding area.
Sheikh Jangi, his brothers, and several senior aides were later detained and remain under investigation.
The Lalazar incident has deepened political rifts in Kurdistan, particularly between the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). In the aftermath, the PUK launched fierce criticism of KDP-affiliated media, further heightening tensions and fueling concerns that the repercussions could extend far beyond the initial confrontation.