Iranian drones attack Kurdish organization’s base near Erbil — Jerusalem Post

Two explosive-laden drones attacked a base of the Khabat Organization of Iranian Kurdistan in Rizgari, also known as Topzawa, near Erbil in Iraq. A representative of the organization said the strike caused material damage, but there were no casualties. This was reported by the Jerusalem Post, citing Kurdish media outlet Rudaw.

Tehran’s statements and the Kurdish parties’ response

The attack occurred several hours after an interview with Iran’s Consul General in Erbil, Faramaz Asadi. He said that five Iranian Kurdish opposition parties had united under pressure from foreign forces and allegedly expressed readiness to cooperate with those attacking the Islamic Republic.

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan rejected these accusations. The party said that the Alliance of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, announced in February, was created for coordination and cooperation to realize the aspirations of the Kurdish people. The party also accused Tehran of refusing to recognize the Kurds’ political and national demands and of viewing the Kurdish issue primarily as a security threat.

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Concerns among residents of nearby areas

Asadi called Kurdish opposition groups terrorist organizations and urged that their members be handed over to Iran through Interpol. The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan responded that using international mechanisms to return opposition members to Iran would contradict refugee protection and the principle of non-refoulement.

Residents of areas near opposition forces’ bases report growing fear due to the strikes. According to the authorities of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, since the end of February the region has been subjected to more than a thousand drone and missile attacks by Iran and Iranian-backed Iraqi groups. Some families have left their homes, and the region has no air defense systems to intercept such attacks.