Authorities launch investigation

40 oak trees felled as illegal logging continues in Sulaymaniyah’s protected forests

SULAYMANIYAH — Authorities say illegal logging in the Kurdistan Region is worsening amid cold weather, with forestry officials discovering the remains of 40 oak trees in the Mergepan area of Sulaymaniyah. Elsewhere, a suspect was arrested in the Barzinja subdistrict of Said Sadiq.

“A patrol unit from Mergepan Forestry Police discovered approximately 40 felled oak trees during an inspection to protect the environment,” said Hemin Kamarkhan, a spokesperson for Sulaymaniyah’s Forestry and Environment Police. “No suspects were present at the scene, and investigations are ongoing to identify those responsible.”

In Barzinja, officers detained one person suspected of logging, seizing the individual’s vehicle and logging tools. “The case has been referred to the judiciary for legal action,” Kamarkhan said.

Data from the Sulaymaniyah Forestry and Environment Police show that 23 people have been arrested for illegal logging in the governorate since the start of the year. In December 2024 alone, 37 individuals were apprehended for illegally cutting down trees in protected forest areas.

Illegal logging remains a key driver of deforestation in the Kurdistan Region, where traders and individuals often ignore environmental regulations in order to produce charcoal or other fire wood.

According to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Board of Environmental Protection and Improvement, offenders face a fine of 500,000 dinars (about $330). Failure to pay can result in up to three months in prison.

Nearly half of Kurdistan’s forests have been lost over the past 70 years, due to factors including water scarcity, higher temperatures, reduced rainfall, and forest fires, along with illegal logging and military operations.