After days of clashes between protesters and security forces, Iraqi Kurdistan unrest begins to cool down

After several days of clashes between Harky tribe members and Kurdish security forces, which left one dead and dozens injured, parts of Erbil, the capital city of Iraq's Kurdistan region, resumed relatively regular activity on Tuesday.

The unrest began Thursday, when residents of Lajan village demanded jobs at the nearby Lanaz Refinery, owned by senior figures in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). A young man from Kirkuk was killed, and ten others were injured as demonstrations escalated.

Tensions increased on Monday as security forces deployed armoured vehicles in Lajan, aiming to arrest specific individuals, prompting villagers to leave their homes. Videos on social media captured tribal gunmen threatening to destroy the refinery unless security forces withdrew and stopped making arrests.

Sleman Sindi, spokesperson for the independent human rights commission of the Iraqi Kurdistan region, told The New Arab that a fact-finding committee was sent to the area. Security agencies reported that the victim was killed by gunfire from within the crowd. Protesters, however, blame security forces. Sindi stated the commission would examine evidence and conduct an impartial investigation.

The victim's father told local Kurdish media that his son was a truck driver and not a demonstrator, and he was killed by a heavy machine-gun round, which the victim's father alleged was fired by Kurdish security forces.

The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) interior ministry described the demonstrators as "rioters" and accused "outside hands" of fuelling the violence to destabilise the region.

On Monday night, unrest spread to the Khabat district, where demonstrators protesting forced Lajan evacuations. The mayor's office, government buildings, and Iraq's electoral commission office were set on fire. The KRG responded with additional security deployments as clashes continued overnight, according to local media.

Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw blamed foreign actors for the violence at a news conference. He announced an agreement allowing Lajan residents to return home and stated that KRG security forces would withdraw by Wednesday.

Media outlets affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and opposition parties provided extensive coverage of the unrest. In response, KDP-aligned media accused them of incitement.

Kurdish security forces arrested journalists from PUK-linked Channel 8 and a team from NRT, associated with the New Generation movement, confiscating equipment and restricting coverage.

The New Arab sought comment from Governor Khoshnaw, but he was unavailable.

Despite some return to order, as of Tuesday, a heavy security presence remained in parts of Erbil, with forces detaining individuals described as suspicious.

The Erbil Security Committee announced the arrest of Nigerwan Issa Mirmosu, head of the PUK's organisational office in Khabat, labelling him "the agitator" and alleging he attempted to flee to Kirkuk. In a statement, the committee accused a group of instigators of inciting chaos, firing shots, and burning buildings in Khabat, and said security forces restored order peacefully.

PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani expressed "deep concern" over the situation in Erbil and Lajan, urging both authorities and protesters to exercise restraint. He stated that the affected communities have "legitimate concerns" that must be addressed.

"We urge the government to exercise restraint," he said, while calling on demonstrators to remain peaceful. "The message of the honourable Harkis and all those impacted has been received, and we call on protesters to respect the rule of law."

Talabani warned that continued violence could destabilise a sensitive political period as government formation talks continue in Baghdad. He said the PUK is prepared to mediate, "restore calm and secure the rightful demands of citizens," and emphasised that affected areas "must be demilitarised."