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Türkiye's Foreign Ministry said Friday it is closely monitoring developments in Iraq's Sulaymaniyah city following the arrest of Kurdish opposition figure Lahur Sheikh Jangi after several hours of armed clashes, citing concerns for Iraq's stability and Turkish citizens' safety in the region.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Oncu Keceli announced on Friday that Türkiye is following the situation "closely in terms of Iraq's stability and peace, as well as the safety of our citizens."
"We are closely monitoring the developments in Sulaymaniyah city in terms of Iraq's stability and peace, as well as the safety of our citizens," Keceli said in a statement posted on social media platform X.
Keceli confirmed that Türkiye's Erbil Consulate General has made contacts with relevant local authorities and ensured that necessary measures have been taken for Turkish citizens in the area.
Security forces in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdish region arrested Jangi following hours of armed clashes, a security official told Agence-France Presse (AFP) on condition of anonymity.
Jangi, a member of the influential Talabani family and one of two ruling clans in the autonomous region, "surrendered" while "his brother Polad was injured in the leg and was arrested," the official said.
Kurdish Patriotic Union (PUK) media reported that a group of fighters loyal to Lahur Sheikh Jangi surrendered to PUK forces at the Lalezar Hotel before the arrests were made.
"Three law enforcement agents were killed, including one belonging to the special operations branch, one from the anti-terrorist services and one 'Commando,'" another official told AFP.
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