Gunmen open fire and enter Erbil governorate building in Iraq’s…

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) – Gunmen entered the governorate building in Erbil, the seat of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq on Monday and began firing from windows at Kurdish security forces, a deputy governor of the city and Kurdish security officials said.

Security forces have cleared the streets around the building, which is located in the busy city center, said the security officials.

“At around 7:45 am two gunmen approached the entrance of the governorate and opened fire at the guards. They managed to enter and now they are on the third floor,” said the deputy governor, Tahir Abdullah.

“Security forces have surrounded the building and entered the ground floor, preparing to attack the assailants.”

The gunmen seized weapons from the guards. The men were shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is Greatest), said a spokesman for the KRG.

It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack.

These types of attacks are rare in Erbil, one of the most stable cities in Iraq.

Islamic State, which has been largely defeated in Iraq, has carried out bombings in Erbil in the past. The group has targeted Kurdish forces and civilians in recent years.

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