Kurdistan
Smoke billows from an oil warehouse on the outskirts of Erbil following a suspected drone strike, on April 1, 2026. File photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Seven attacks struck the borders of Erbil and its southeastern Koya district within two hours on Monday, a provincial security source told Rudaw, as Rudaw tracking shows the Kurdistan Region endured 21 attacks in the past 24 hours alone.
The source, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that “between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm [Monday], seven attacks took place,” adding that “five targeted Erbil city, while two were directed at Koya district.”
Air defenses intercepted the projectiles aimed at the capital. “Five drones and missiles” were used in the attacks, but “were intercepted in the air and caused no damage,” the source explained.
The attacks are claimed to be part of Iran’s multifront response to the joint US-Israeli military campaign that began against Tehran in late February.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Thursday that since the start of the campaign, its forces have targeted more than 12,300 sites across Iran, aiming to “dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus.”
Shadow Iraqi armed groups, operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), have claimed responsibility for most of the drone and missile strikes on the Kurdistan Region, several of which have struck residential areas and civilian infrastructure.
The Monday incidents come amid a notable surge in aerial attacks. According to Rudaw tracking, the Region was targeted by 21 drones in the past 24 hours alone - 17 aimed at Erbil and Koya, and four at the eastern Sulaimani province.
Rudaw monitoring also shows that since late February, the Kurdistan Region has endured a total of 678 drone and missile attacks. Of these, 540 targeted Erbil province, 111 targeted Sulaimani, 25 hit the northern Duhok province, and just two struck Halabja in the Region’s east.
The attacks have so far killed 14 people and injured 93 others. Casualties include Peshmerga forces, Kurdish security personnel (Asayish), Peshmerga fighters from Iranian Kurdish opposition parties, a French soldier, and several civilians.
The source, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that “between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm [Monday], seven attacks took place,” adding that “five targeted Erbil city, while two were directed at Koya district.”
Air defenses intercepted the projectiles aimed at the capital. “Five drones and missiles” were used in the attacks, but “were intercepted in the air and caused no damage,” the source explained.
The attacks are claimed to be part of Iran’s multifront response to the joint US-Israeli military campaign that began against Tehran in late February.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Thursday that since the start of the campaign, its forces have targeted more than 12,300 sites across Iran, aiming to “dismantle the Iranian regime’s security apparatus.”
Shadow Iraqi armed groups, operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), have claimed responsibility for most of the drone and missile strikes on the Kurdistan Region, several of which have struck residential areas and civilian infrastructure.
The Monday incidents come amid a notable surge in aerial attacks. According to Rudaw tracking, the Region was targeted by 21 drones in the past 24 hours alone - 17 aimed at Erbil and Koya, and four at the eastern Sulaimani province.
Rudaw monitoring also shows that since late February, the Kurdistan Region has endured a total of 678 drone and missile attacks. Of these, 540 targeted Erbil province, 111 targeted Sulaimani, 25 hit the northern Duhok province, and just two struck Halabja in the Region’s east.
The attacks have so far killed 14 people and injured 93 others. Casualties include Peshmerga forces, Kurdish security personnel (Asayish), Peshmerga fighters from Iranian Kurdish opposition parties, a French soldier, and several civilians.
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