ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The attack on Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani's office on Monday triggered a wave of condemnations from the Region's senior leadership as well as Kurdish leaders and political actors beyond.
Erbil’s Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD), affiliated with the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC), earlier in the day reported that “two explosive drones of the Hadid-110 type were launched from the Iranian side of the border” toward the Kurdish Premier’s private office and “the residence of the director of the Security Council in Erbil province's Pirmam district.” The attack caused no casualties.
In a statement on X, Prime Minister Barzani slammed the "reckless and unacceptable attacks in the strongest terms," calling them "a dangerous escalation and a direct threat to the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region."
Kurdistan Region’s leaders
President Masoud Barzani was quick to express strong condemnation of the assault, affirming that Kurdistan "has never been a part of the wars and tensions present in the region."
"Such unjustified attacks, which cannot be justified under any pretext, are an attempt to disrupt the stability of the Kurdistan Region," the head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) said, affirming that "the use of drones and missiles does not resolve issues."
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani likewise condemned the assault, censuring it as "completely unacceptable" and warning that they "represent a dangerous escalation."
"We call on the [Iraqi] federal government to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and commitments in safeguarding the security and stability of the country to prevent the recurrence of such aggressions," the Region's President said, affirming that safeguarding "sovereignty, security, and stability" is a "shared responsibility and everyone must work towards de-escalation and eliminating tensions."
Meanwhile, Qubad Talabani, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister, affirmed that the Region's stance since the beginning of the ongoing regional conflicts and tensions "has been very clear, straightforward, and peaceful."
"Such attacks are not only a disregard for the peaceful position and role of the Kurdistan Region, but also a dangerous violation of Iraq's sovereignty," Talabani affirmed.
The Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) also condemned the attack as "a dangerous precedent," emphasizing "the policy of safeguarding and neutrality in the war currently enveloping the region."
Kurdish voices
In a notable show of solidarity, Leyla Zana, a veteran Kurdish politician from Turkey, conveyed her solidarity with the Kurdish Premier, deploring the attack on his office and affirming, "Let friend and foe know that this is the century of freedom for the Kurdish people."
Tuncer Bakirhan, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in Turkey, conveyed his group's "condemnation of the attack" in a phone call with Prime Minister Barzani, "extending our sympathies" to the Premier, the KRG and the Kurdish people and affirming, "We stand by them at all times."
"We emphasize that we consider such attacks - which keep war and tension on the region's agenda while deepening instability - dangerous, and we call on the Baghdad government to clarify the incident," Bakirhan said.
In northeast Syria (Rojava), Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said in a statement, "We stand in solidarity with the government and people of the Kurdistan Region and strongly condemn the targeting of the Prime Minister's office."
"This attack is an unacceptable and immoral act, representing an assault on the will of the people of the Region and a fundamental part of Iraqi state institutions," he said.
