ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) interior ministry on Friday blamed the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) for the recent drone attacks in Erbil, accusing the group of attempting to destabilize the Kurdistan Region. “Last night, a drone crashed in a deserted area near Erbil. These attacks are being carried out by some groups affiliated with Hashd al-Shaabi with the intention of creating chaos. It is necessary for the relevant parties in the federal government to set limits on these destructive acts and take legal measures against the perpetrators,” the ministry said in a statement late Friday. It denied claims that an Israeli base was hit in the drone attack, reiterating that no Israeli bases exist in the Region. An explosive-laden drone was intercepted near Erbil International Airport on Thursday, but “did not cause any casualties or material damage,” the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), which is part of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), said. The renewed drone activity follows the US-brokered ceasefire that went into effect on June 24, ending the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. During the conflict, numerous drones and rockets flew through the airspace of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, where several drones fell or were intercepted.
