Man killed in Zini Warte after being run over by snow-clearing vehicle

ERBIL — A man who is a member of the Peshmerga forces was killed in the Zini Warte area after being run over by a snow-clearing vehicle, local officials and eyewitnesses said.

Witnesses at the scene told 964media that the victim was a member of the 1st Battalion of the 7th Brigade under the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs. He was originally from the Galala subdistrict of Balakayati and a resident of the Chwarqurna subdistrict in the Raperin administration.

Zini Warte is a rugged mountainous area located within the Warte subdistrict, geographically part of Rawanduz district in the Soran autonomous administration of Erbil governorate.

Hajar Haji, head of the Warte municipality, told 964media that the incident occurred within the subdistrict’s boundaries. “All the necessary teams went to the scene by order of the head of the Warte subdistrict,” he said, adding that the body was transferred to hospitals in the Raperin administration because the victim was a resident of Chwarqurna.

According to information obtained by 964media, the snow-clearing vehicle was working to reopen a supply route used by Peshmerga forces. The man was standing behind the vehicle filming snowfall and the clearing operation when the vehicle reversed without the driver noticing him, causing the fatal accident.

The incident occurred as heavy snowfall led to the closure of the Zini Warte road, halting traffic in the area. Shorish Hassan, head of the Warte subdistrict, told 964media, “Heavy snow has fallen on the slopes of Zini Warte, which has caused traffic on that road to come to a halt.”

He said clearing teams were deployed and would begin reopening efforts after 1 p.m. to prepare the road for reopening later in the day. Hassan urged drivers to avoid using the Zini Warte route and to comply with official warnings.

964media correspondent Akam Ghafoor reported from inside the snowfall zone that movement was extremely difficult, with snow reaching waist level in some areas.

The Zini Warte road links the Soran autonomous administration and the Raperin administration and runs through steep, winding mountain terrain. Winter snowfall, the absence of guardrails and limited traffic signage make the route especially hazardous.