KIRKUK

A fire ripped through the Ottoman-era Qaysari Bazaar in Iraq’s northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, according to a local spokesman.

“More than 400 shops were gutted by the blaze,” Qais Kirkuki, a spokesman for the city’s fire department, told Anadolu Agency.

No injuries were reported.

“Firefighters are struggling to extinguish the fire,” Kirkuki said.

The cause of the blaze remains unknown.

Built in the Ottoman era, the Qaysari Bazaar is located in the center of Turkmen-majority Kirkuk city and is considered a historical landmark in the city.

Reporting by Makram Ghareeb. Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg