Three members of the security forces in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region were killed and 19 wounded during the arrest of an opposition figure on Friday, two security officials told AFP.

Lahur Sheikh Jangi, a member of the influential Talabani family, which is one of two ruling clans in the autonomous region, "surrendered" while "his brother Bolad was injured in the leg and was arrested" after several hours of fighting, an official said, requesting anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject.

It is the second arrest of an opposition figure in Sulaimaniyah in less than two weeks, following the detention of New Generation leader Shaswar Abdulwahid on August 12.

"Three law enforcement agents were killed, including one belonging to the Assayish (special operations) branch, one from the anti-terrorist services and another from the 'Commandoes'," another official told AFP.

Jangi was formerly a senior leader in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of two historic parties in the Kurdistan region, and held several top security posts. The party controls Sulaimaniyah, the region's second-largest city.

He was sidelined in 2021 amid tensions within the family.

Shortly before dawn, as security forces launched the arrest operation, clashes erupted with dozens of armed men protecting Jangi and his brother with gunfire heard in the area.

Sulaimaniyah court spokesman, judge Salah Hassan, told AFP that an arrest warrant was issued on Thursday for Jangi and several others "for conspiracy aimed at destabilising security and stability".

Iraqi Kurdistan portrays itself as a haven of stability, but activists and opponents frequently denounce corruption, arbitrary arrests, and violations of press freedom and the right to protest.

The prime minister of the Kurdistan region, Masrour Barzani, from the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called on Friday for "all sides to show restraint".

"Any problem or dispute must be resolved through legal channels," he said.

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