ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An injured member of the Komala of Toilers of Kurdistan (Komala) succumbed to wounds sustained in an Iranian attack in Sulaimani province, the party said in a statement Tuesday, following several days in hospital.
Abubakr Hoshangi had sustained severe injuries in Iran's Friday attack on Komala's headquarters in Zirgwez, near Sulaimani. In that attack, nine members of the party, mostly new inductees, were killed, along with several others injured.
"Abubakr Hoshangi, after several days of stay at the hospital, lost his life due to the severity of his wounds," the party said.
Hoshangi's death brings the number of Komala Peshmerga killed since Friday to 10. Iran launched fresh missile and drone strikes against Komala's bases on Monday, including the party's headquarters in Alana valley and two further attacks on the group's headquarters in Surdash. According to Amjad Hussein Panahi, head of party communications, Iran has struck the party with more than 93 missiles and drones.
The Iranian Kurdish parties, based in the Kurdistan Region, have largely remained on the sidelines of the US and Israeli conflict against Iran. Despite abstaining from joining the war, they and the Kurdistan Region have been a primary target for Iran and its aligned "Islamic Resistance of Iraq" militias since February 28.
According to Rudaw's records, Iran and its aligned groups in Iraq have struck the Kurdistan Region with at least 918 drones since the war began. The cross-border attacks have killed 30 people and injured 148 others. Nearly 50 drones and missiles hit the Region in the first three weeks of July.
Last Sunday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani reiterated the Region's neutrality amid the continuing attacks. He stressed that Erbil is not part of the regional tensions and "has no desire to be," condemning the recent strikes targeting the Region.
The attacks have strained the Kurdistan Region's energy security. On February 28, the Khor Mor field, which supplies the bulk of the natural gas powering Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) power plants, went offline. It went offline again last Thursday amid soaring regional tensions.
This has disrupted the electricity grid and household cooking gas supply, causing prices of a standard household gas cylinder to double, from 9,000 IQD ($7) to 18,000 IQD ($14).
