Suspected drug trafficker killed in shootout with security forces in Pshdar

SULAYMANIYAH — A suspected drug trafficker was killed and another arrested during a security operation in the Pshdar area of Raparin autonomous administration, the General Directorate of Anti-Narcotics in the Kurdistan Region said Thursday.

The confrontation took place the night of April 17, when officers attempted to apprehend two men accused of trafficking narcotics. Both suspects, originally from Kelek in Duhok’s Bardarash district, allegedly refused to surrender. One opened fire on the security unit and attempted to flee by vehicle.

“As part of an operation based on a court order, our forces moved in to apprehend two narcotics dealers in the Pshdar area,” the directorate said. “One suspect opened fire and attempted to escape by car. He was wounded during the confrontation and was quickly transferred to the hospital.”

A narcotics inhalation device was recovered from the vehicle, and medical tests confirmed the man had been under the influence of drugs. He later died after undergoing surgery.

The second suspect was arrested at the scene. Authorities identified the men only by their initials — Q.A.A., 40, and A.H.A., 34 — and said they had been involved in narcotics trafficking across several cities, including Duhok, Erbil, Soran, and Zakho. The suspects had also reportedly smuggled drugs into Turkey on multiple occasions.

Security forces seized six kilograms of narcotics during the raid.

The surviving suspect is being held under Article 25 of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law. The investigation is ongoing.