Sulaymaniyah prisoner recaptured hours after escaping police custody

SULAYMANIYAH — A prisoner who escaped police custody during a transfer on Wednesday was recaptured hours later after a brief manhunt. The inmate, originally held at Koya Prison in Erbil governorate, was being transported to Garmian, an autonomous district in Sulaymaniyah governorate, when he fled near Zarayan district.

Ali Jamal Qadouri, spokesperson for Garmian Police, confirmed the re-arrest. “Wednesday night, Garmian security forces recaptured the escaped prisoner at the Barloot checkpoint near Kalar,” Qadouri told 964media.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the police team responsible for the transfer. “The Garmian police unit involved has been suspended, and an inquiry is underway,” Qadouri said, adding that officers found negligent could face disciplinary measures.

The prisoner, sentenced under Article 456 of Iraq’s Penal Code for deception, reportedly escaped during a halt prompted by a health issue involving one of the escorting officers.

This incident follows a series of escapes from Sulaymaniyah correctional facilities. In October, a prisoner at the Sulaymaniyah facility swapped clothes with his visiting brother during a family visit and remains at large. In July, a 15-year-old girl briefly escaped the women’s and children’s correctional facility before being quickly apprehended.