ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran-backed Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada has denied responsibility for a Friday drone attack on Erbil, while saying a “partial agreement” is temporarily holding back planned attacks against Saudi Arabia, the group’s spokesperson told Rudaw.
Responding to a question about the three drones that targeted Erbil early Friday, Kadhim al-Fartousi, spokesperson for the armed group, told Rudaw's Hevidar Ahmed that the attack “was not carried out by our groups,” adding that “there is currently a partial agreement that no operations or attacks should be carried out, and that responding to Saudi Arabia’s attacks should also be delayed.”
Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada is part of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and is backed by Iran. The United States designated the group as a terrorist organization along with three other Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups in September last year.
Fartousi’s remarks come a day after the Kurdistan Region's Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD) said in a statement that the US-led Coalition Forces “intercepted and shot down three bomb-laden drones in the skies over Erbil,” amid ongoing drone and missile attacks on the Region.
His remarks also coincide with ongoing efforts to prevent further escalation after joint US-Saudi strikes targeted PMF positions and other Iran-aligned armed groups in several Iraqi provinces in late July.
The strikes killed 20 fighters and wounded 32 others, according to figures announced by the Iraqi federal government. Washington and Riyadh said the strikes were a response to drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory against Saudi oil facilities and other targets.
The strikes triggered threats of retaliation from Iraqi armed factions that identify themselves as the Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq. But Iraqi political figures, including Badr Organization leader Hadi al-Ameri, called on the factions to delay retaliation and give diplomacy time to seek compensation from Saudi Arabia.
Fartousi said, “The operations we intended to carry out against Saudi Arabia have not been completely stopped; they have been frozen,” he said, indicating that the suspension of the attacks was temporary.
Iraq is facing renewed pressure to prevent its territory from being used to launch attacks against neighboring countries, while Baghdad also seeks to bring weapons under state control.
The group has previously denied involvement in several attacks targeting Erbil while maintaining that US forces in Iraq remain legitimate targets and rejecting calls for the complete disarmament of Iraqi armed factions.
Erbil and other parts of the Kurdistan Region have faced repeated drone and missile attacks in recent months, following the US-Iran war that began in late February.
According to Rudaw tracking, the Kurdistan Region has been targeted by at least 16 drones and three missiles since the beginning of this month. On Tuesday, the Komala Toilers Party of Kurdistan (Komala) said three missiles struck the Alana valley near the town of Khalifanin, Erbil province, wounding two Peshmerga fighters.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said in an interview with Iraq’s privately owned Al Sharqiya TV, aired on Wednesday, that the Kurdistan Region has been targeted by around 1,000 missiles and drones. According to Rudaw tracking, the attacks have killed 32 people and injured nearly 150 others.
Iraqi authorities have repeatedly condemned attacks on the Kurdistan Region and called for investigations, while stressing that Iraqi territory should not be used to launch attacks against neighboring countries.
