ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran and Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq have launched nearly 1,000 drones and missiles at the Kurdistan Region since February 28, when the US and Israel began their military campaign against Iran, according to Rudaw tracking. Tehran has also continued targeting Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Region.
According to Rudaw's records, 966 one-way attack drones and missiles have been fired at the Kurdistan Region since the war began, killing 32 people and injuring around 150 others. In the past 24 hours alone, the Region has been hit by five drones - four in Sulaimani and one in Erbil.
The Kurdistan Region has largely remained on the sidelines of the regional conflict, with most strikes targeting the US Consulate General, the US-led coalition forces stationed at Erbil International Airport, and the bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.
However, seven Peshmerga officers affiliated with the Kurdistan Regional Government, one Kurdish security officer, and two civilians have been killed in the attacks. At least 20 members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have also been killed.
The latest strikes on Sunday coincided with a message from US President Donald Trump saying he had agreed to hold off on a planned attack on Iran to allow for peace negotiations.
Trump said they have been “asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries” to cancel the attack as “the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to.”
“This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat,” Trump noted in a post on his Truth Social platform.
It also coincides with reports of a surprise relocation of the US Patriot and the British Rapid Sentry air defense systems, with only the C-RAM system remaining stationed. They intercepted about 75 percent of the strikes on the Kurdistan Region.
Rudaw has learned that, in addition to the air defenses, there has been a significant decline of US, German, and French forces in Erbil over the past week. UK troops have been completely evacuated.
The US fortified its base at Erbil International Airport in 2019 and later deployed Patriot systems to protect its personnel and facilities, which can detect aircrafts for up to 62 miles and tactical ballistic missiles for up to 100 miles.
