ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region's Security Council on Thursday claimed the explosive-laden drone used in the attack on a road in Erbil the night before was directed by a militia group outside the Kurdish capital.
The security forces accused a "Hezbollah" militia of directing the rigged drone from the town of Pirde (Altun Kupri) in Kirkuk province, likely using the term to refer to an Iran-backed militia in the area.
An explosive-laden drone struck Erbil-Pirmam road on Wednesday night, causing material damage to a restaurant and several vehicles as well as injuring three civilians.
The security forces also denounced rumors circulated by social media websites and Twitter accounts with thousands of followers which claim that the recent strike targeted a Mossad (Israeli intelligence) vehicle, claiming to have killed an agent.
"They may be able to feed these lies to the public opinion, but for the people of Erbil and the region who have seen the location, type of attack, and its consequences with their own eyes, this news has become ridiculous," the Kurdish forces affirmed, continuing with "those who make this claim want to cover up their failures and weaknesses."
The drone attack sparked widespread condemnation from local and foreign authorities, including the US-led coalition, who condemned the strike and expressed solidarity with the Kurdistan Region.
The attack on a busy street in Erbil last night that injured civilians & endangered many others is another example of the utter disregard malign actors have for the people of Iraq & the country's sovereignty. https://t.co/l8o528dUKe
— Inherent Resolve (@CJTFOIR) June 9, 2022
A US State Department spokesperson confirmed the drone attack on Thursday afternoon. “We are aware of reports of a possible drone attack in Erbil and we defer to IKR authorities for further comment,” a State Department spokesperson told Rudaw on the same day.
In the statement, the Kurdistan Region Security Council reiterated that the Region will never be a threat to other countries nearby, and called on them to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
Mark Bryson-Richardson, the UK ambassador to Iraq, also condemned the attack, labeling it "unacceptable" and saying "there should be no place in Iraq for those promoting chaos and violence."
Leading Iraqi and Kurdish officials, including Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and his Kurdish counterpart, PM Masrour Barzani, as well as Iraqi President Barham Salih, expressed strong condemnation of the attack earlier on Thursday, saying they will work together to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Drone and rocket attacks in the Kurdistan Region have largely been attributed to Iran-backed militias who in recent months have launched a series of attacks against Kurdish land.
The attack's location in the Kurdish capital is nearby the March 13 attack claimed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), when the force targeted Erbil with a dozen ballistic missiles, justifying the attack on the grounds of targeting a Mossad base in the city, an accusation vehemently rejected by Kurdish authorities.
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