Three suspected poachers arrested in Sulaymaniyah for hunting wild birds

SULAYMANIYAH — Three suspected poachers have been arrested in the village of Marwe, Sulaymaniyah, for illegally hunting wild birds, local officials confirmed.

Hemin Kamerkhan, spokesperson for Sulaymaniyah’s Forestry and Environment Police, told 964media, “Our teams continue to patrol the mountains and forests within Sulaymaniya’s borders and surrounding areas to track down poachers. These individuals were apprehended for hunting wild birds in the Marwe village area.”

Authorities seized three hunting shotguns, cartridges, a knife, and a vehicle from the poachers during the arrest.

Kamerkhan added that the investigation procedures for the suspects have been completed and they have been handed over to the judiciary.

“Protecting Kurdistan’s environment is a national duty for all of us,” Kamerkhan said. “We call on anyone who witnesses such violations to contact our teams.”

Earlier this month, authorities in Sharazur, Sulaymaniyah, arrested three individuals for illegally capturing wildlife and released 11 live partridges back into their natural habitat.

Kamerkhan highlighted continued efforts to tackle wildlife poaching and safeguard biodiversity, noting that around 30 poachers were arrested and prosecuted in November alone.

The 2008 environmental protection and improvement laws in the Kurdistan Region strictly ban the hunting, killing, capturing, possession, or trading of endangered species. Offenders face penalties including up to one month in prison and fines between 150,000 and 200 million dinars. Repeat violations result in harsher punishments, with penalties doubling for subsequent offenses.