“There are mafias in Sulaimani, Erbil, and many other places,” acknowledged Talabani when he sat down with several reporters in Sulaimani on Sunday night, including a Rudaw journalist, and addressed a wide range of topics. “I have met with authorities in Sulaimani and we have a full list of names of people performing such acts, and we will arrest every single one of them.”
The year of 2020 has seen an increase in reported gun violence in the province of Sulaimani, but also across the Kurdistan Region, Sulaimani police spokesperson Sarkawt Ahmad told Rudaw English on Monday.
On November 22, a group of armed men, some dressed in Peshmerga uniform, attacked a Sulaimani restaurant owner allegedly over a rental dispute with the landlord, according to the assault victim. The attack has received a large amount of publicity.
“Whoever they are linked to in Kurdistan is none of our concern,” said the PUK co-leader. “These types of crimes are not acceptable, and we have not accepted them.”
A number of gun-related incidents in Erbil have also made headlines, with footage from the events circulating on social media.
On October 15, three armed men entered a pharmacy near Erbil's Lawan City, physically assaulting its employees.
A cafe owner in Erbil was wounded in a gun attack at his business on October 22.
The Kurdistan Region is home to multiple black markets where different firearms can be bought, including sniper rifles and machine guns.
Illegal trade and corruption
In response to a question raised regarding illegal trade at the Kurdistan Region’s border crossings, Talabani said his party was checking the paperwork of businesses the PUK is affiliated with.
“We have created a three-person committee to go over the books and data of the PUK’s businesses, because we think that businessmen understand business better,” he said.
“We are well aware that there is illegal trade…. We believe that the government should take serious steps toward resolving this issue,” he added.
Talabani called on the KRG to take a harder line on corruption.
“The government needs to have a good plan to look into the books, what happens on the borders, and what oil pipe takes oil where, and who gets the money, but most importantly, the government should look into corruption,” he said. “The government needs to be stricter on this issue, which I hope they will.”
Kurdish unity
Talabani remarked on tensions between Kurdish parties, as well as questions of unity within the PUK.
“I want to ensure you, when I or any other colleague visit another party, everyone in the party is aware, everyone has agreed to it, and we even set the program together,” Talabani said, amidst claims that there have been disagreements between party officials, including himself and his co-leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi. “We have a united stance.”
He denied any chance of war against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and stood against the idea of intra-Kurdish war.
“I do not see a possibility of war with the PKK, and I am totally against any form of intra-Kurdish war,” he said. “We should make sure that it never happens.”
The politician pushed against the idea of the Kurdistan Region splitting into separate administrations amidst prolonged political divides.
“We did not give so many lives to split Kurdistan into pieces…. There are many other solutions before resorting to two administrations,” he stated.
