Man arrested for burning 200-year-old oak tree in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq — Police in Sulaymaniyah province arrested a man accused of setting fire to an oak tree estimated to be more than 200 years old in the village of Yalave in the city’s rural outskirts, the provincial forestry police said. The forestry and environmental police division opened an investigation after determining that the suspect had set the tree ablaze, according to a written statement. The suspect was identified and taken into custody, and legal proceedings have been initiated against him. Police said teams are still working at the site to assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire and to determine the motive. Relevant authorities have been informed about the tree’s protected status as a natural asset. In the statement, police reiterated a public appeal for citizens to refrain from actions that damage the country’s natural heritage. No further details were immediately available.