Licensed individuals can own Kalashnikovs, guns in Kurdistan Region: Official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Registration for licenses to own Kalashnikovs and guns is available and anyone without a license will be prosecuted after July 21, a Kurdish official told Rudaw on Wednesday, as the Region struggles to control gun ownership. 

Hemin Mirany, chief of staff of Kurdistan Regional Government’s interior ministry, told Rudaw’s Shahyan Tahseen that registration gives the citizens the right of ownership of firearms revealed Mirany, adding that all sorts of heavy weapons must be returned to the Peshmerga ministry.

“All other types of weapons, whoever owns them, are illegal guns and will be confiscated,” Mirany said days after a shooting between two families in the district of Khabat, which killed a man, re-opened the gun control debate.

“Citizens can register for Kalashnikovs and handguns, however, registration does not mean a license will be given,” he added.

“The [registration] process ends on July 21, citizens must wait until then, anyone caught with an unlicensed gun on July 22, will be prosecuted,” said Mirany, who stressed that the given deadline will not be extended.

In June 2022, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani ordered the shutdown of all firearms-selling markets and the confiscation of unlicensed weapons, in light of the killing of two university academics by a former student days prior.

Mirany highlighted that registration for a gun license is different from a permit to carry one. He added that a thorough background and health check will be undergone before the issue of a license to carry a gun, in addition to a plausible reason to carry arms.

Mirany pointed out to what he referred to as “social issues” in Kurdish society where some families resort to guns to solve their problems.  “We encourage everyone to resort to courts and solve their problem,” he urged.

Family clashes in the Kurdistan Region are common. On Friday, a dispute between two families in the sub-district of Khabat resulted in the killing of a 30 year-old man, leading to a nationwide demand to tighten gun laws.

The KRG has struggled to bring gun ownership under control and to decrease the number of privately-owned weapons. Firearms, including sniper rifles and machine guns, can be purchased on the black market.

On Tuesday, Hogr Aziz, Erbil police spokesperson, told Rudaw that citizens have three months to register their unlicensed firearms, and to hand over their weapons to the government.

According to Article 6 of the 1993 weapons ownership law, individuals over 18 who are permanent residents of the Kurdistan Region, and have no criminal record or mental illness, can carry a weapon.

The KRG has formed around 40 gun registration committees in its efforts to strengthen gun laws and reduce the number of private guns. The groups consist of representatives of the police, the Asayish, and the Peshmerga forces.