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Kurdistan
Iranian missiles strike headquarters of the KDPI in Koya on November 21, 2022. Photo: KDPI. Picture of Behzad Iskat, the KDPI peshmerga that was killed in the attack. Photo: Submitted
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - One member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) was killed on Monday as Iran resumed drone and missile strikes on bases of Kurdish opposition groups, just days after a senior Iranian military official threatened Iraq with a ground military operation.
Several drones and missiles were launched from the Hamza Sayyid al-Shuhada base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in charge of parts of the Kurdish areas of Iran, in the early hours of Monday, IRGC-affiliated media Fars News reported.
The strikes were directed towards bases of Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil and Sulaimani provinces.
The mayor of Erbil province’s Koya town Tariq Haydari told Rudaw that at least three missiles targeted the headquarters of the KDPI near Koya, with one striking the base and the other two hitting an adjacent refugee camp hosting people from the Kurdish areas of western Iran (Rojhelat).
Commander of the KDPI’s Peshmerga forces Kawa Bahrami confirmed to Rudaw the death of one of their members by the name of Behzad Iskat in the attack on their headquarters near Koya.
The attacks targeted another base of the KDPI near Erbil’s Bahrka neighborhood, and the base of the Komala party in Sulaimani’s Zirgwez region.
“We condemn these latest attacks in the strongest terms. We call upon the international community, democratic governments, NGOs and human rights activists to support of the Kurdish people. We call on the international community to hold the Iranian regime accountable for these attacks,” read a statement from the KDPI.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) also condemned the attacks on the Kurdistan Region.
“Such indiscriminate and illegal attacks place civilians at risk, violate Iraqi sovereignty, and jeopardize the hard-fought security and stability of Iraq and the Middle East,” read a statement from General Michael Kurilla, commander of the US CENTCOM.
The Dutch Consulate in Erbil also reiterated its calls against the Iranian attacks on the Kurdistan Region on Monday morning.
We repeat: The Netherlands strongly condemns the ongoing missile and drone attacks in the Kurdistan Region in Iraq. We support the demand of authorities to respect the sovereignty of Iraq and call to end this import of violence from the region into KRI.
— Netherlands in Kurdistan Region (@nlinkri) November 21, 2022
The attacks came after IRGC’s Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani last week threatened of ground operations by Iran against opposition parties taking shelter inside Iraqi land, however the attacks are not unprecedented.
At least four missiles targeted the headquarters of the KDPI near Koya last Monday, killing at least two and injuring eight others.
The commander of the IRGC's ground forces Mohammad Pakpour further threatened the Kurdish opposition forces shortly after the attacks on Monday saying "either clear your bases, or wait for our next attacks."
The IRGC struck bases of exiled Kurdish opposition groups in Kurdistan Region late September, killing at least 16 and injuring 50 others.
The attacks by the IRGC come as the regime is facing both international and internal pressure over its violent crackdown on the protests sparked by the controversial death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini on September 16, while in police custody.
Iranian authorities accuse Kurdish opposition parties of arming the protesters.
The number of protesters killed across the country as of Friday evening stood at 402, including 58 children and teenagers, according to a tally provided by US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
At least six people are reported to have been killed in protests across Kurdish areas in Iran on Sunday.
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