Asiaupdated 1h ago2 min read
Iranian Drones Strike Separatist Headquarters in Erbil Outskirts, Reports Say
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Iranian drones struck Komala base in Balisan, Erbil province; buildings damaged, no casualties Explosions and drone activity observed near Erbil outskirts, including Khalifan/Shaqlawa area
Erbil blast, drone claim
An explosion was heard in the outskirts of Erbil in Iraq's Kurdistan region, with reports of a drone attack on the headquarters of anti-Iran separatist groups in Wadi Alane, Al-Mayadeen reported. A reporter said the blast sound was heard in the area north of Iraq, while Mehr News Agency said no further details were announced about possible casualties or damage.
A separate report said a drone targeted the headquarters of the separatist groups in the Valley of Al-Anah area on the outskirts of Erbil. A second report placed the explosions near a base belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group in Erbil, with a security source telling Shafaq News that the blasts occurred in the Doli Alana area of Khalifan subdistrict.
Competing locations and targets
The drone attack was reported in Wadi Alane, while خبرگزاری دانشجو said a drone targeted the headquarters of separatist groups in the Al-Anah Valley area on the outskirts of Erbil. Two drones launched from Iran struck a base belonging to the Iranian Kurdish opposition group Komala in Balisan, Erbil province, on Saturday night, and Ali Ranjbari confirmed there were no casualties but buildings were damaged.
The attack marked another strike by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region, which Tehran views as a threat to its national security. The drone attack coincided with Iranian forces intensifying operations against Kurdish opposition groups along Iran’s western frontier, while Tehran faced mounting security and economic pressures on multiple fronts.
What comes next
No further details were announced on the possible casualties or damage after the Erbil outskirts explosion and drone attack reports. The strategic waterway in the Strait of Hormuz had seen a sharp escalation in attacks, with several commercial vessels damaged and at least two ships sinking this week as Iran sought to tighten its grip on maritime traffic.
PJAK’s armed wing, the Eastern Kurdistan Units (YRK), warned on Saturday that it would retaliate if attacks on its positions continued, and the group said, “We will exercise our legitimate right to self-defense and deliver the necessary response,”. The strategic waterway in the Strait of Hormuz had seen a sharp escalation in attacks, with several commercial vessels damaged and at least two ships sinking this week as Iran sought to tighten its grip on maritime traffic.