Soran authorities arrest 30 suspects this year for illegal logging

SORAN, November 27 — Authorities in Erbil’s Soran district announced on Sunday that 30 individuals have been arrested since the beginning of the year for cutting down trees in the area without a permit.

Amir Khoshaw, spokesperson for Soran’s Forest and Environmental Police, told 964 that suspects taken into custody have subsequently faced legal proceedings resulting in fines and imprisonment.

According to the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Forestry Law, those found guilty of logging face penalties, including imprisonment and fines. Khoshaw also revealed, “In the preceding year, 95 individuals were detained, and their cases were referred to the court.”

The central area of Soran city encompasses 435 acres of cultivated forests, predominantly featuring pine trees.

As winter begins, some locals in Soran, renowned for its chilly climate, engage in tree cutting, contributing to a notable surge in illegal logging.