One Peshmerga fighter killed, another injured in Sidakan explosion : commander

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — One Peshmerga fighter has been killed and another injured in an explosion in Erbil's Sidakan area, a Peshmerga commander has confirmed to Rudaw. 

A vehicle carrying two Peshmerga fighters hit TNT explosives late on Friday, Bahram Arif Yasin, the head of Halgurd command told Rudaw, claiming that the explosives were recently laid by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“The TNT is newly-laid. It was laid by the PKK guerillas a few days ago,” Yasin told Rudaw's Bakhtiyar Qadir. 

The two Peshmerga fighters worked in Choman’s Balakatayi area and were returning to visit their village in Sidakan when their car struck the explosives, he added. 

The deceased is 46-year-old Tariq Qadir, a father of three children. His colleague Muzafar Hassan, 46, was seriously injured, according to the commander. 

The area is frequently bombarded by Turkey due to the presence of the PKK fighters who have laid mines in unpopulated areas to prevent the advance of Turkish forces.

Demining teams affiliated to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have been clearing mines laid by Iraqi armed forces. The clearance is ongoing. 

 

Updated 11:53pm