Explosion hits senior KDP official’s car in Kalar

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The car of a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official in Sulaimani province’s town of Kalar was hit by an “explosion” on Monday, without causing fatalities. 

Akram Salih, the head of the KDP’s 22nd branch in Kalar, said his vehicle was struck by an explosion while parked in front of his house in the town. He stressed that he was targeted by a “bomb” that was attached to his car before exploding. 

“It is not clear what caused the blast. We only know that the fire has been brought under control,” Garmiyan civil defense spokesperson Ibrahim Mohammed told Rudaw at the site, adding that an investigation has been launched into the incident. 

A personal guard of Salih was slightly injured in the explosion. 

A witness and Salih’s neighbor told Rudaw he “was asleep at home when there was a big blast.”

“I came into the yard and saw glass windows missing, parts of the car hit our house and it was a big explosion,” he said. 

Earlier in July, two people were injured in a car explosion in Sulaimani city. 

In April, the vehicle of a former politburo member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) exploded in Sulaimani’s Sarchinar neighborhood, causing no casualties.