Sulaymaniyah
Man arrested for illegal logging in Zharawa as deforestation concerns mount
SULAYMANIYAH — Authorities in the Zharawa sub-district, part of the Pshdar district in Sulaymaniyah’s Raparin Independent Administration, arrested a man for illegal logging after finding him transporting felled trees on a tractor. The tractor was seized, and an investigation has been launched into the incident, according to the Raparin Environmental and Forest Police.
“A citizen was arrested for cutting down live trees,” the police said, adding that the operation is part of ongoing efforts to combat deforestation in the region.
Villages like Bardqlshiw, Kullaw Rashan, and Pshti Kuzina have been hotspots for illegal logging and environmental destruction. Tree stumps left behind after logging are often burned.
According to Sulaymaniyah Forestry and Environment Police data, 23 individuals have been arrested for illegal logging in the governorate since the beginning of the year. In December 2024 alone, 37 individuals were apprehended for cutting down trees in protected forest areas.
Illegal logging is a major driver of deforestation in the Kurdistan Region, where some traders and individuals violate environmental regulations to produce charcoal or firewood. The practice has led to ecological damage, particularly in areas like the Qandil Mountains, where biodiversity and local ecosystems are at risk.