Iran increases attacks on Kurdish opposition following days of clashes

Following days of reported clashes between the Kurdish Free Life Party (PJAK) and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran has intensified its strikes against other Kurdish opposition groups. On Wednesday night, two drones targeted a base belonging to the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) in Erbil's Degala sub-district, according to the Kurdish media outlet Rudaw. This action is likely intended to prevent the KDPI from joining forces with PJAK in ongoing confrontations.

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Two drones targeted a base belonging to the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) in Erbil's Degala sub-district late Wednesday.

PJAK, a significant armed group, is known to operate well-hidden bases in rural areas, and Iran appears to be adopting a strategy of confronting one group at a time. Rudaw reported that the Kurdistan Region has been subjected to at least 865 drones and missiles since late February, with the total number of attacks continuing to rise. The KDPI confirmed the drone attack on its base in Degala, stating that no casualties occurred as no Peshmerga were present at the targeted location at the time.

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A short while ago, our party [base] in Degala was attacked by two drones. At that time, no Peshmerga were present at the targeted location, which is why the attack resulted in no casualties.

The KDPI, a historic centrist and nationalist Kurdish Iranian opposition group, has been a long-standing target for Iran, which has assassinated its leaders in the past. Rudaw noted that Iran has consistently targeted the headquarters and refugee camps of Iranian Kurdish opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region, even after hostilities with the US and Israel eased. Over the past month alone, nearly 20 drones have reportedly targeted these locations across the region.

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The attack comes as Iran has continued to target the headquarters and refugee camps of Iranian Kurdish opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region, even after hostilities with the US and Israel eased.

In addition to the strikes in Iraq, Iranian forces have also killed five KDPI members in what was described as an "ambush by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)" in western Iran. These fighters died in clashes in an area called Ghezqapan near Piranshahr city. Heavy clashes have also been reported in Mahabad and other western Iranian cities between the IRGC’s Hamza Sayyid Al Shuhada forces and Kurdish fighters, though details on casualties remain scarce. The Hengaw human rights organization reported that the death toll from an armed clash at the Baneh checkpoint rose to three after a member of the Iranian security forces died from his injuries.

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The five fighters were killed “in clashes in an area called Ghezqapan near Piranshahr city,”