UPDATED: Deadly clashes between civilians, Iranian Kurdish parties

CHOMAN, Kurdistan Region – Two civilians have been killed and one injured after deadly clashes erupted between civilians and Iranian Kurdish parties in northeastern Erbil province.

The confrontation began when three brothers in the village of Gundazhor in Balakayati challenged Peshmerga of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan (Komala) who were chopping down trees, according to Rudaw’s reporter in Choman, Bakhtyar Qadir.

The Peshmerga opened fire on the brothers. 

After the incident, villagers, saying they could not accept such actions, stormed the shelters of a number of Kurdish Iranian parties in the area. 

Buildings of four different parties were burned down in Balakayati, Qadir reported. 

Komala issued a statement saying the incident began when a number of persons from the village approached their Peshmergas’ shelter holding weapons, “and as a result shooting erupted, unfortunately leading to death of two persons from the village of Gundazhor and another person wounded.”

Komala urged the government to resolve the issues and sent condolences to the family of the dead.

Rostam Jihangiri, an official with the Iranian Democratic Party of Kurdistan (PDKI, HDKA), told Rudaw, they cannot fight against civilians so have ordered their Peshmerga soldiers to leave the shelters.

“Security forces have arrived at the site, trying to bring the situation under control,” Ahmed Qadir, Choman mayor, told Rudaw.

A PDKI commander told Rudaw their forces were not involved in the clashes. He offered condolences to the family of the victims and wishes of speedy recovery to the wounded.

“We hope the lives of our Peshmerga are protected by the people of Balakayati,” he pleaded, asking security forces to take control the situation.

Komala is a leftist political party of Iranian Kurdistan. It is one of the parties which has recently resumed a military struggle against Iran. It has bases within the Kurdistan Region and positions around Mount Halgurd.

Balakayati is in Erbil province. Its major town, Choman, is 160 kilometers from Erbil. Gundazhor is on the Iranian border. Some 30 families live in the village.

Last updated at 10:35 pm