Two dead in Halabja shooting

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two people were shot dead and another wounded in Halabja province early Tuesday, authorities said. Police is investigating the incident. 

“In the [shooting] incident, besides the killing of two people, another person was also wounded,” Simko Salar, the mayor of Halabja city, told Rudaw. 

Akam Mohammed, spokesperson for the Halabja Police, told Rudaw that one of the deceased was 20 years old and the injured individual is 31. He added that an investigation into the incident has been launched.

"More information will be provided soon," he noted. 

So far, two suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident, Halabja police said in a statement.

Despite ongoing efforts by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to regulate gun ownership, illegal firearms remain widespread.

A significant portion of the Kurdistan Region’s population is believed to possess firearms, fueled by a thriving black market that traffics everything from handguns to sniper rifles.