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Iran escalates drone attacks targeting Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Iran has intensified its drone attacks targeting Kurdish opposition groups operating from northern Iraq, escalating a six-month campaign.
  • The attacks have become increasingly deadly, with approximately nine people killed in July alone.
  • These strikes, launched from areas near Mosul and targeting bases east of Erbil, follow renewed US-Iran military actions and indirect communications.

Iran has escalated its drone attacks against Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, intensifying a campaign that has been ongoing for the past six months. This latest round of strikes, which occurred early Tuesday morning, marks a significant increase in the deadliness of the operations, with around nine individuals reportedly killed in July.

four drones struck bases belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups east of Erbil early Tuesday while another drone was shot down over the province, according to officials from the groups. No casualties were reported.

— Rudaw mediaReporting on the specifics of the drone strikes near Erbil.

According to local reports, multiple drones struck bases belonging to Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, including the Komala party, east of Erbil. One drone was reportedly shot down over the province, though no casualties were immediately reported from that specific incident. Amjad Hussein Panahi, head of communications for the Komala of Toilers of Kurdistan, stated that Komala bases have been targeted by over 95 missiles and drones since the start of the conflict, part of more than 1,000 attacks on the Kurdistan Region since January.

Since the start of the war, Komala bases have been targeted by more than 95 missiles and drones.

— Amjad Hussein PanahiQuantifying the scale of attacks against Komala bases.

These renewed strikes come amid heightened regional tensions, particularly following recent US-Iran military actions, despite ongoing indirect communications between Washington and Tehran. Drone attacks have also been launched by Iranian-backed militias from areas near Mosul. The Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) reported that two drones crashed inside a camp east of Erbil, though the camp had been evacuated earlier due to the conflict.

the latest drone strikes come amid heightened regional tensions following renewed US-Iran military strikes despite ongoing indirect communication between Washington and Tehran regarding the implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in mid-June.

— RudawPlacing the drone strikes within the broader context of regional tensions and US-Iran relations.

Iranian-backed militias initiated these attacks after the US and Israel targeted Iran on February 28. The escalation suggests a continued pattern of cross-border military actions and proxy engagements in the region, with Kurdish groups operating from Iraq becoming a focal point of Iranian military operations.

Tonight at 12:30 am, two drones crashed inside Jezhnikan camp east of Erbil, but there were no casualties.

— Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI)Reporting on drone crashes near a KDPI camp.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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