Sulaymaniyah police warn against carrying unlicensed weapons

SULAYMANIYAH — The Sulaymaniyah Police Directorate has issued a public warning urging citizens not to carry or use weapons without an official license, emphasizing that violators will face serious legal consequences.

According to the police statement, possessing or using an unlicensed weapon is considered a crime. Individuals found guilty may face imprisonment ranging from one to three years.

In addition to prison sentences, the police clarified that financial penalties will also be imposed. Fines for carrying or using unlicensed weapons range from two million to five million Iraqi dinars ($1,372 ton $3,431).

The Sulaymaniyah Police have called on all citizens to comply with the law and to refrain from carrying or using any weapon without proper authorization, stressing that these measures are in place to protect public safety and maintain security across the city.

Decades of wars, regime changes, insurgencies, and security breakdowns have left a lot of weapons in civilian hands across Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region. Many of these were never registered or controlled by the state.

The Iraqi government, through the Interior Ministry, launched a nationwide weapons buy‑back and disarmament initiative aimed at reducing the number of unlicensed firearms in civilian hands. In December 2025, the ministry extended the registration deadline through Dec. 31, 2026.