Two fires in Sulaymaniyah burn 80 dunams, 130 trees; tractor operator detained

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq — Two separate fires broke out near the village of Belukin in the Aghilar subdistrict of Sulaymaniyah governorate, burning more than 80 dunams of pasture and grassland along with 130 trees, the Sulaymaniyah Forest and Environment Police said. Teams from the Aghilar Forest and Environment Police Center were dispatched to the scene, according to a statement from the directorate. Working alongside Civil Defense crews and local residents, they brought the flames under control and extinguished them. The statement said the fires started while an agricultural tractor was operating in the area. Authorities detained the tractor owner and opened an investigation into the incident. No casualties were reported, and officials did not immediately provide further details on the extent of the damage.