Municipal workers in injured while capturing stray livestock

HALABJA — Although Tuesday was an official holiday, municipal teams in Halabja seized the opportunity to track and capture stray animals, detaining nearly 20 cows found roaming in a city neighborhood.

Salam Bilal, head of the Halabja municipality, told 964media that some livestock owners intentionally release their cows during holidays to let them wander freely. “Our teams used the opportunity and managed to capture these cows,” he said.

However, the operation turned violent. “Unfortunately, several of these cow owners attacked our municipal workers, and two of our employees suffered facial injuries,” Bilal added.

The municipality said it would penalize the cow owners and refer those involved in the assault to court.

Officials emphasized that stray animals are not only a nuisance to residents but also cause extensive damage to the city’s gardens and green spaces.

The municipality said it has repeatedly instructed livestock owners not to release animals into the city and has designated an area outside city limits for building enclosures to keep animals away from residential neighborhoods.