PUK admits ties to arsonist in Erbil and Kirkuk
Shafaq News/ The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) acknowledged on Monday that the individual responsible for the arson attacks in Erbil and Kirkuk is affiliated with one of its security agencies.
Saadi Pira, the PUK's spokesperson, stated in a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency, "The party condemns the fires in the governorates as they are violations against the Kurdistan Region and harm the economy of the citizens."
Pira added, "Iraqi intelligence informed us of the arrest of an individual involved in these incidents who is a member of the Counter-Terrorism Service (affiliated with the PUK). The service revoked all this person's privileges several months ago."
"When the Kurdish spokesperson spoke at the conference in Baghdad (referring to the Ministry of Interior's press conference), it turned into election propaganda. Many people are affiliated with the PUK, but the party cannot be blamed for everything…this is not election propaganda but an attempt to incite a civil war."
Pira further mentioned that "the accused confessed to receiving a sum of money, yet no questions were asked about the entity that provided the funds."
The Iraqi and the Kurdish Ministries of Interior announced on Monday the arrest of individuals involved in recent fires in the governorates of Erbil, Duhok, and Kirkuk.
In a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency correspondent, Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesperson Brigadier General Miqdad Miri stated, "The arrests were made through a precise operation, extraordinary efforts, and coordination between the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Kurdistan Region's Ministry of Interior." He revealed that the suspects belong to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Responding to a question from a Shafaq News Agency reporter, Miri said, "Three individuals have been arrested and are currently in custody and under investigation by the Federal Intelligence Agency. They will be brought to trial."
According to the suspects' confessions, they planned to target two neighboring countries of Iraq and were also plotting to attack the Ceyhan oil pipeline.
Brigadier General Miri also mentioned that they had plans to target markets in Al-Sadr City, Shorja, and other areas, as well as electricity transmission lines in Erbil.
In turn, Hemen Mirani, General Director of the Interior Ministry Diwan, provided additional details about the recent fires.
During the joint press conference with Iraqi interior officials in Baghdad, Mirani stated that the goal of the fires was "to damage the economy, provoke public anger against the government, and according to the confessions, the PKK was behind these incidents."
He added that "those responsible for the incidents were recruited by the PKK in Syria and Turkiye and received training in Qandil and Kifri. One of the suspects, identified as Honar Fakhruddin Ahmed, is an employee in the 70th Unit (Peshmerga affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan), while another, Mohammed Najat Hassan, is an officer in the Counter-Terrorism Unit in Al-Sulaymaniyah, also affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan."
