Two people arrested for attack on Erbil pharmacy

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Erbil police have arrested two suspects they believe attacked a pharmacy a month ago, a security source tells Rudaw.

On October 15, three armed men entered a pharmacy near Erbil's Lawan City, physically assaulted its employees, and then fled the sight. Police say they are unaware of what prompted the attack.

CCTV footage of the attack, showing the three attackers assault the pharmacists armed with a Kalshnikov, went viral on Kurdish social media.

Two days after the attack, the police arrested one of the three people - the father of one of the others - thought to have been part of the assault. And after a month of continuous search, police forces arrested the remaining two attackers on Monday, November 16.

“One of the attackers went on a rooftop and was trying to fight back,” Erbil Police spokesperson Hogir Aziz told Rudaw.

“After realizing the amount of forces surrounding him, he changed his approach and threatened to kill himself,” he added.

After nearly four hours of speaking to the attacker, the police forces managed to convince him to surrender and then arrested him.

Aziz said that the reason behind the attack is yet to be known and they will investigate the two apprehended suspects to find out.

Upon the release of the CCTV footage, the Kurdistan Region Syndicate for Pharmacists asked the police forces to immediately pursue the case and find the attackers.

Reporting by Sidad Lashkiri