Ammunition catches fire at Peshmerga weapons depot in Duhok

DUHOK, Kurdistan Region — A Peshmerga weapons depot in Duhok was englulfed in flames on Tuesday evening.

 

The fire occurred at Aluka Entrance on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Rudaw's local correspondent reported. He added that explosions could be heard.

 

The Peshmerga confirmed the incident, elaborating the facility was used to store ammo.

"We can see today that another incident happened at a Roj military base. One of our ammunition containers was there," Gen. Bahjat Selky of the Zeravani Forces, told journalists. 

 

Zeravani Gen. Bahjat Selky talks to reporters in Duhok, Kurdistan Region, on July 3, 2018.

He said that they believe it is due to heat initially. 

"There will be committees and investigations certainly," the general added.

He added there were no civilian or military casualties.

The facility was being used by Zervani forces of the Roj Peshmerga, a division within Ministry of Interior, that is comprised soldiers from Syrian Kurdistan or Rojava.

Local  temperatures climbed into the upper 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

It is, the fourth incident at a weapons' facility in the past year in the Kurdistan Region.

 

Authorities are also investigating a fire at a Peshmerga weapons depot that broke out late Monday in Sulaimani. 

 

An explosion at a Peshmerga weapons depot in Erbil during the weekend was caused by improperly stored ammunition reacting to the heat.  

Two similar explosions occurred in August last year. 

This is a developing story... Updated at 6:50 p.m.