Two men killed by artillery shell in Halabja

HALABJA — Two men were killed on Monday when an artillery shell they were handling exploded in a livestock shelter in Halabja’s Mordana neighbourhood, destroying the building.

Preliminary findings indicate the explosion happened as the two handled the munition, police spokesperson Akam Qutbaddin told 964media. They were named as Nawzad Marif and Sarhang Kabir, both from Halabja. Nobody else was hurt and the bodies were taken to the forensic medicine department.

It is the second unexploded ordnance incident in the Kurdistan Region in three weeks. A worker was injured in Duhok on Aug. 12 when a grenade found under debris in an old house detonated as he handled it.