In a significant operation by Sulaimani's internal security forces (Asayish), two suspected drug dealers were apprehended following intense armed clashes in the Sarchinar neighborhood on Monday morning. The confrontation, which involved officers from the anti-narcotics directorate, resulted in the wounding of both suspects and the seizure of over 14 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

The skirmish, which also left one Asayish officer injured, underscores the escalating drug-related violence in the region. The Kurdistan Region, along with the rest of Iraq, has seen a sharp increase in drug trafficking and abuse since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003.

According to Kurdish security forces, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested on drug-related charges in the first half of this year, with Sulaimani province accounting for more than half of those arrests.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani recently addressed the growing drug problem during an October conference, emphasizing that the region is "seriously and widely working to eradicate and combat" this threat. He called for greater cooperation between the Kurdish and international communities to tackle what he described as an "endemic" issue.