21 people arrested for illegal logging and hunting in Halabja

HALABJA – Police have arrested 21 individuals for illegal logging and hunting in Halabja, confiscating several equipment and felled trees, an official said.

Haval Mohammed, spokesperson for the Halabja Forest and Environment Police, told 964media that logging activities in the border area have increased, prompting intensified monitoring and crackdowns by law enforcement.

“In the past 10 days, 20 people have been arrested for illegal logging, and one person for hunting,” Mohammed said.

The arrests took place in several villages within the governorate.

Some of the detainees have been released on bail, while others remain in custody pending further legal procedures, he added.

Unauthorized tree cutting is a major cause of deforestation in the Kurdistan Region, where some traders and individuals flout environmental regulations to produce charcoal or firewood.

According to Sulaymaniyah Forestry and Environment Police data, 23 individuals have been apprehended for illegal tree cutting in the governorate in the first three weeks of the new year. In December 2024 alone, 37 individuals were arrested for logging trees in protected forest areas.

Offenders face a fine of 500,000 IQD (around $330). Failure to pay can result in up to three months in prison.