2025 Sulaymaniyah clashes
| 2025 Sulaymaniyah clashes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Sarchnar collision amid the clashes | |||
| Date | 22 August 2025 03:30 – 08:00 | ||
| Location | Lalezar Hotel, Sarchnar, Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region 35°34′45″N 45°22′56″E / 35.5792199°N 45.3821145°E | ||
| Caused by | Claims of conspiracy involving Lahur Talabani, armed supporters of his People's Front, failure to appear in court, (alleged) and internal PUK power struggle | ||
| Resulted in |
| ||
| Lead figures | |||
Bafel Talabani Lahur Talabani (POW) | |||
| Units involved | |||
Supported by: Dupishk Forces & Supporters of Lahur Talabani | |||
| Number | |||
| |||
| Casualties and losses | |||
| |||
| 19+ injured Several vehicles, buildings and residential houses were burned and collapsed | |||
The 2025 Sulaymaniyah clashes (Kurdish: ڕووداوەکانی سلێمانی) were armed confrontations that occurred on 22 August 2025 in the city of Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan, following a security raid targeting opposition leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi Talabani. The incident led to the arrest of Lahur Talabani, his brother Polad Talabani, and several of their associates. The clashes drew significant attention and concern across the Middle East.
The arrest of Lahur Talabani comes after the arrest of Shaswar Abdulwahid, the leader of the New Generation Movement, who was also detained in Sulaymaniyah. According to political observers, this series of arrests carried out by Bafel and Qubad Talabani is aimed at consolidating and strengthening the power of the PUK in Sulaymaniyah.