Tribal clash in Kirkuk leaves 15 wounded, 30 detained

KIRKUK, Iraq — A tribal dispute in two villages in southwestern Kirkuk left 15 people wounded and led to the detention of 30 others, local sources said. The clash broke out in the Negar villages of the Bu Hamdan area in Hawija district over a disagreement about the burning of a wheat stubble field after the harvest. The argument escalated into a physical fight in which participants used bladed tools and pieces of iron and wood, according to the sources. Police intervened to separate the groups and restore order in the area. The wounded were taken to Hawija Hospital for treatment, while those detained were transferred to a security center for investigation. Authorities said no firearms were used in the clash and no deaths were reported. Security forces said legal proceedings against those involved were ongoing and that monitoring would continue to prevent a recurrence. Further details had not been immediately released.