Eight members of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group have been killed after drone and rocket strikes targeted a camp in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, according to the exiled organisation.
The Komala party said the attack took place early on Friday near the city of Sulaimaniyah.
A party representative, Idriss Kohlwazi, said that drones and rockets struck the camp and surrounding area, blaming Iran for carrying out the assault.
Idriss Kohlwazi said, "Eight members of the group were killed, while several others were injured. Iranian authorities had not commented on the allegation at the time of writing.”
The incident comes at a time of continuing tension across the Middle East, despite a ceasefire that followed recent military confrontation involving Iran and the United States.
Iraq remains a key area of strategic importance, maintaining close relations with both Washington and Tehran.
The Kurdistan region has frequently found itself caught in the middle of these regional rivalries. It hosts American military personnel, international energy companies and several Iranian Kurdish opposition groups that have long been accused by Tehran of working against its interests.
Although military activity eased after the ceasefire announced in April, Iran has continued to carry out operations against Kurdish opposition groups based across the border.
Tehran has repeatedly accused the organisations of supporting hostile foreign interests, allegations the groups reject.
Friday’s strike appeared to be one of the deadliest attacks against these groups since the ceasefire. Many opposition organisations had already reduced their presence at long-established camps following previous rounds of military action.
Separately, security incidents were also reported in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region.
Kurdish counterterrorism authorities said, “US-led coalition forces intercepted and destroyed eight explosive-laden drones over the city during the early hours of Friday. The drones were brought down between approximately 04:20 am and 05:25 am local time, with no casualties or damage reported.
It marked the second drone interception over Erbil within days. Earlier this week, coalition air defences also shot down eight drones that were approaching the city.
Witnesses reported that defensive systems were activated near the large US consulate complex, which has previously been targeted during periods of heightened regional conflict.
No organisation has claimed responsibility for the attempted drone attacks.
During the recent regional conflict, armed factions aligned with Iran carried out hundreds of attacks on facilities linked to the United States across Iraq, operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. The latest incidents highlight the continuing security risks in northern Iraq, even after the reduction in large-scale fighting elsewhere in the region.
The renewed violence is likely to raise fresh concerns over regional stability, particularly in Iraq’s Kurdistan region, where international military installations, diplomatic missions and energy interests remain vulnerable to cross-border attacks.
