The President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Bafel Jalal Talabani, affirmed on Sunday that no one is above the law—whether individuals or groups.

In a statement, Talabani said:

“The city of Sulaymaniyah witnessed a series of events last week that brought sorrow and grief to citizens and their families and raised public concern.”

He added:

“A lawless militia group turned several residential areas into military camps and barracks. From these locations, they launched attacks on official security forces whose mission is to protect citizens and their property and maintain stability in the city. These actions endangered civilian lives and attempted to undermine the role of security institutions, whose primary duty is to safeguard society and its members.”

Talabani continued:

“In such situations, it’s easy for false news and misinformation to spread. The competition among media outlets often, instead of clarifying ambiguous matters, becomes a major source of distortion and misleading the truth.”

He emphasized:

“I must say clearly—no one is above the law, whether individuals or militia groups. The fate of those who endanger the security and stability we have sacrificed greatly to achieve must be determined through legal procedures within the framework of the democratic process, not through speculation or misleading media campaigns.”

He pointed out that:

“The Asayish (Security) Agency of the Kurdistan Region, as a legal security institution under the Kurdistan Regional Government, published its report on the events from the standpoint of protecting public interest and citizens and countering those media campaigns. It is our collective duty to allow the judiciary to carry out its responsibilities without interference.”

He added:

“For this reason, we have asked all media outlets affiliated with our party not to react by amplifying those meaningless campaigns run by certain media channels. We will not stoop to that level. Our mission is to present facts responsibly and professionally and to maintain public trust. Our priority is to protect citizens’ lives and rights, defend the rule of law, and block the path of those who rely on force and intimidation rather than public trust.”

Talabani called on the judiciary to:

“Carry out its duties in accordance with the principles of law, justice, and transparency. Rest assured that every individual’s rights are protected, and the will of a militia group must not override the aspirations of citizens for peace, unity, and democracy.”