Ankara monitors Kurdistan’s al-Sulaymaniyah clashes
Shafaq News – Ankara / al-Sulaymaniyah
On Friday, Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern after violent clashes in al-Sulaymaniyah that led to the arrest of People’s Front (Bərêy Gel-PFP) Head Lahur Sheikh Jangi.
Ministry Spokesperson Oncu Keceli said Ankara is closely monitoring the situation “with regards to the stability and peace of Iraq as well as the safety of our citizens.” He added that Turkiye’s Consulate General in Erbil had coordinated security measures with local authorities.
Statement of the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Öncü Keçeli, in Response to a Question Regarding the Developments in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq https://t.co/OiY9K76jLb pic.twitter.com/0vuUHeI1lV
— Turkish MFA (@MFATurkiye) August 22, 2025
The statement followed armed clashes in central al-Sulaymaniyah, where joint units from counter-terrorism forces, commandos, and PUK Asayish stormed the Lalezar Hotel to enforce arrest warrants issued against Sheikh Jangi under Article 56 of the Iraqi Penal Code. At least three people were killed and around ten were wounded in the clashes.
Sheikh Jangi, once co-leader of the PUK before being sidelined by Bafel Talabani in 2021, founded the People’s Front, which secured two seats in the 2024 Kurdistan parliamentary elections.
