Investigation underway

Drone crash injures 23-year-old man in Duhok’s Amedi

DUHOK — A drone crash Friday evening in the Deraluk subdistrict of Amedi District, Duhok Governorate, left one person injured, according to local authorities.

Shortly before the crash near Bani Chalke, a well-known tourist area, residents heard a loud explosion. A security official said the injured man is a 23-year-old identified as Wahbi Sdiq, who was struck by debris.

“He sustained wounds from stones and fragments,” said Masoud Buti, deputy director of health in Amedi. “He’s receiving treatment now.”

Kameran Mala Osman, who coordinates the Kurdistan team for Community Peacemaker Teams –  Iraqi Kurdistan, which monitors Turkish and Iranian military operations in the region, said the drone’s origin is unclear. He noted that it could belong to Turkish forces or the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, known as PKK, adding that investigations are underway.

The area around Amedi has long experienced violence tied to the conflict between Turkey and the PKK. On Jan. 2, 2025, artillery hit the Amedi-Sile Road, damaging water pipelines serving about 20 homes. Turkish troops have pushed up to 15 kilometers into Iraqi territory in recent years, targeting PKK fighters.

On Dec. 9, 2024, a roadside bomb exploded on a rural road near Bamarne in Amedi, causing no injuries. On Oct. 26, 2024, an explosion rocked the village of Meristek in the same district, damaging property but leaving residents unharmed.

A report released Aug. 14, 2024, by CPT found that Turkish and Iranian military operations have killed 425 civilians and wounded 420 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq since 1991, with Turkey responsible for more than 83% of documented incidents.

Photo of Wahbi Sdiq, 23, who was injured by Drone Crash in Deraluk Sub-District in Duhok Amedi. Photo published by CPT

Photo of Wahbi Sdiq, 23, who was injured by Drone Crash in Deraluk Sub-District in Duhok Amedi. Photo published by CPT