Kurdistan
Logo of Iran-aligned militia group Ashab al-Kahf and a drone attack on the outskirts of Erbil on April 1, 2026. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - An Iran-aligned militia group said on Monday it carried out a drone attack on the Kurdistan Region, describing the strike as a response to a recent attack on an Iraq-Iran border crossing.
Ashab al-Kahf, a pro-Iran armed faction that identifies itself as part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, announced it had targeted “US interests” in the Kurdistan Region using two drones.
In a statement, the group said it launched the attack in response to what it described as the targeting of the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran. “Our operations are continuing at an escalating pace,” the group said, warning civilians to avoid areas where US forces are stationed.
The claim follows a US airstrike on Saturday that hit the Shalamcheh crossing in southeastern Iraq, killing one Iraqi traveler and wounding five others. The strike reportedly occurred while a humanitarian aid convoy belonging to Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) was present.
Located in Basra province, the Shalamcheh crossing is one of the most important transit points between Iraq and Iran, handling significant daily flows of passengers and trade.
The crossing has also come under increased scrutiny in recent months. Reports earlier this year alleged that the PMF used the route to transfer fighters into Iran to assist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) during anti-government protests.
Iran-backed armed groups operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance say they have launched repeated attacks against US forces in Iraq and across the region since late February when the US and Israeli military operations began against Iran.
These groups have repeatedly claimed responsibility for most drone and missile attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region. While they say the strikes are aimed at US interests and Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, many attacks have also hit residential areas and civilian infrastructure.
Since the escalation began, the Region has faced sustained drone and missile strikes. According to Rudaw tracking, nearly 670 drones and missiles have struck the Region since February 28, killing 14 people and wounding 85 others.
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