A nearly 20-minute shootout occurred between Golden Forces and security forces (Asayish) in Sulaimani’s Sarchinar neighborhood late on Monday, injuring 11 people, according to Mustafa Chawrash, the commander of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) affiliated Unit 70 forces
“Sadly, 11 people were wounded in the fight, five of which have already received treatment and left the hospital,” Chawrash told Rudaw’s Aso Sarawy.
The Golden Force is affiliated with the Kurdistan Region’s Vice President Sheikh Jaafar Sheikh Mustafa, who is also the former commander of the Unit 70 forces. His son Nozan played a part in the mediation of Monday night’s conflict, according to Chawrash.
“In the meeting, representatives of all the security forces and Sheikh Jaafar’s son Nozan were there, and all sides agreed to solve the problem and for the negligent parties to be sent to court,” Chawrash said, adding that the meeting was held at the base of Unit 70.
Nozan Mustafa is not known to have any official position in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) or Peshmerga forces.
Security committees will meet with the provincial council and will form a special committee to investigate the incident, Azad Mohammedamin, chairman of the Sulaimani provincial council, told Rudaw on Tuesday.
He added some people have been arrested in relation to the shooting but did not specify a number.
In a separate incident in February, one person was killed and five others wounded in a knife fight between security forces (Asayish) and Peshmerga forces at a checkpoint in the town of Tasluja near Sulaimani city. The fight began when Peshmerga commando forces were stopped and questioned because they were armed but not wearing their military uniforms.
