Car explosion injures two in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH – A car explosion in Sulaymaniyah on Tuesday severely injured two people, raising questions about its cause and potential links to targeted attacks. The incident occurred around 11:30 AM in the Raparin neighborhood, near Sulaymaniyah University.

The vehicle, a white Kia Sportage, exploded with a loud bang before catching fire. A witness told 964media that a loud noise was heard, followed by the car igniting. Two individuals with severe injuries were brought to Sulaymaniyah Shar Hospital, one suffering from a broken leg, arm, and facial injuries.

Initial reports suggested the explosion might have been due to a mechanical issue. Saman Nader, head of Sulaymaniyah Emergency Services, said, “The car that exploded was a gasoline vehicle but had been converted to run on natural gas.”

Sulaymaniyah Security spokesperson Salam Abdul Khaliq stated, “We are still investigating and will release more information once the investigation is complete.”

Conflicting reports have emerged about the cause of the explosion. An additional security source suggested a bomb might have been planted inside the car. The Erbil-based Kurdistan Counter Terrorism stated on its official page that a “bomb planted in the Kia Sportage injured two members of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement, affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).” It said the targeted individuals were Syrian Kurds.

However, Sulaymaniyah Security forces have not confirmed this report. Tara Hussein, co-leader of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement, denied that any of their members were injured in the explosion.

The incident follows a series of assassination attempts against PKK members in the Sulaymaniyah area in recent months and an intensification of Turkish military operations against the PKK in the Kurdistan Region.