Kurds shoot down celebratory gunfire after coronavirus victory in Iraqi province

Apr 23, 2020

A province in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region celebrated the apparent end of the novel coronavirus epidemic there with gunfire on Wednesday, leading to multiple injuries. Many Kurds took to social media to criticize the shootings.

“I’m baffled!” wrote Twitter user @AlendWaly, who added that if the Kurds ever win their independence, gun laws would probably be “a very good place to start.”

On Wednesday night, people in the city of Duhok celebrated the recovery of coronavirus patients in the eponymous province. The province is still under a partial lockdown, but local authorities had planned a celebration for April 22 after announcing Sunday that the province’s 15 confirmed patients had recovered, according to the Kurdish outlet Rudaw.

Videos obtained by Al-Monitor show fireworks, car horns and celebratory gunfire in the city of Duhok. Gunfire from multiple celebrations injured 13 people across the province, reported the Kurdish outlet Basnews.

Many Kurds like Twitter user @cheezkurd were “amazed by the incredible stupidity of people in Duhok.”