ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) interior ministry on Wednesday urged media outlets and social media users to refrain from spreading unverified or biased information amid heightened regional tensions between Israel and Iran, warning that violators will be held legally accountable.
“We alert all media channels, pages, and social media users that it is necessary to consider social security and the psychological state of the people, and that no kind of unfounded and false news about regional developments and their impacts should be published that contains bias,” the ministry said in an announcement.
It stressed that “all kinds of news about Kurdistan's security and information about events are [should be] taken only from official sources.”
The warning follows escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which erupted on Friday after Israel conducted extensive airstrikes in Iran, killing several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran has since launched at least 11 waves of missile and drone attacks.
According to official figures, 224 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel, with nearly 600 Israelis and over 1,300 Iranians injured.
Amid the turmoil, security concerns in the Kurdistan Region have mounted. On Tuesday, remnants of two suspected drones were found near a village in southwest Erbil, local sources told Rudaw. Officials confirmed the debris belonged to drones, though their origin and the cause of the crash remain unclear.
A day earlier, a loud blast was heard in northeast Erbil when a suspected drone reportedly intercepted by the aerial defense system of the new US consulate compound fell nearby. No casualties were reported, and Kurdish security forces responded swiftly to the scene.
Authorities have not issued any official statements on the incidents.
“Any party, media institution, and social media users who spread unfounded news to disrupt the security of the Kurdistan Region and spread fear and panic will face legal accountability,” the interior ministry warned.
During his phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated Erbil’s call for a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are concerned that the escalating hostilities could spill over, threatening their sovereignty and fragile post-war recovery. Iraq hosts both US forces and Iran-backed militias, placing it in a vulnerable position should the conflict intensify.
In January 2024, Tehran drew international condemnation after launching ballistic missiles at the home of Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee in Erbil, killing him, his family, and guests. Iran defended the strike by claiming the site was “a concrete fortress used for espionage” - an allegation rejected by Iraqi and Kurdistan Region officials.
“We alert all media channels, pages, and social media users that it is necessary to consider social security and the psychological state of the people, and that no kind of unfounded and false news about regional developments and their impacts should be published that contains bias,” the ministry said in an announcement.
It stressed that “all kinds of news about Kurdistan's security and information about events are [should be] taken only from official sources.”
The warning follows escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, which erupted on Friday after Israel conducted extensive airstrikes in Iran, killing several senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran has since launched at least 11 waves of missile and drone attacks.
According to official figures, 224 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel, with nearly 600 Israelis and over 1,300 Iranians injured.
Amid the turmoil, security concerns in the Kurdistan Region have mounted. On Tuesday, remnants of two suspected drones were found near a village in southwest Erbil, local sources told Rudaw. Officials confirmed the debris belonged to drones, though their origin and the cause of the crash remain unclear.
A day earlier, a loud blast was heard in northeast Erbil when a suspected drone reportedly intercepted by the aerial defense system of the new US consulate compound fell nearby. No casualties were reported, and Kurdish security forces responded swiftly to the scene.
Authorities have not issued any official statements on the incidents.
“Any party, media institution, and social media users who spread unfounded news to disrupt the security of the Kurdistan Region and spread fear and panic will face legal accountability,” the interior ministry warned.
During his phone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani reiterated Erbil’s call for a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are concerned that the escalating hostilities could spill over, threatening their sovereignty and fragile post-war recovery. Iraq hosts both US forces and Iran-backed militias, placing it in a vulnerable position should the conflict intensify.
In January 2024, Tehran drew international condemnation after launching ballistic missiles at the home of Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee in Erbil, killing him, his family, and guests. Iran defended the strike by claiming the site was “a concrete fortress used for espionage” - an allegation rejected by Iraqi and Kurdistan Region officials.
Comments
Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.
To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.
We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.
Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.
Post a comment