Lajan residents camp outside village in protest as talks seek to ease tensions

ERBIL – Residents of Lajan village on the Erbil–Gwer road have left their homes and set up tents outside the village, protesting the deployment of security forces and the detention of several locals after a weekend of unrest over refinery jobs.

Villager Rizgar Khano told 964media that security forces entered Lajan on Monday and that six residents had already been handed over to authorities. He said tensions rose again after “a new list of names” was issued for further detentions.

Protests in Lajan escalated on Saturday after days of demonstrations by residents demanding employment at a nearby refinery. Villagers claim local youth were promised jobs that never materialized. During Saturday’s confrontation, gunfire was heard and a local rights group reported that one person was killed and several others were injured. Demonstrators also blocked the road to the facilities, causing heavy congestion, while videos posted online showed sustained gunfire in the area.

In an effort to calm the situation, a delegation representing Lajan met the Kurdistan Region’s interior minister and later held a press conference urging villagers to return home. The representatives said the forces deployed in the area were there to protect the refinery and would not search houses or seize weapons.

One speaker said, “We don’t want a fight, and the detainees will be released.” Another community elder added, “These forces are our sons. If there’s blame, it’s between fathers and sons and the interior minister will help to solve the problem.”

Khano said many residents left their homes because of the security deployment. “If the security forces withdraw, many of the problems will be resolved, and people will return to their homes,” he said.

Another resident, Hashim Abdullah, told 964media that the village remained encircled: “Security forces have surrounded the village. We call for a resolution.”

On Sunday, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Interior Ministry accused unnamed actors of trying to stir unrest along the Gwer–Erbil road, drawing a link to earlier attacks on the Khor Mor gas field. The ministry said “instigators of unrest” had blocked the route used by fuel tankers and fired at drivers, and warned that authorities “will no longer allow anyone to exploit the tolerance of the Kurdistan Region’s institutions,” promising that “a clear limit will be imposed on such disruptive acts” and that those involved would be dealt with under existing laws.