President Nechirvan Barzani tells Rudaw targeting of his residence marks ‘dangerous escalation’

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani told Rudaw’s Shaho Amin that the Saturday attack on his residence in Duhok represents “a dangerous escalation for Iraq as a whole,” urging the Iraqi government to “seriously address” the issue of illegal armed groups operating outside the law.

“Mr. Shaho, this is not merely a personal matter,” President Barzani said. “Outlawed and illegal groups feel entitled to target the residence of the Kurdistan Region’s President - not as an individual, but in my constitutional role. This is a serious and dangerous development.”

The attack occurred amid more than half a dozen drone strikes on the Kurdistan Region on Saturday, nearly a week after a ballistic missile launched by Iran killed six Peshmerga fighters and wounded 30 others in Erbil’s Soran district.

“Thankfully, the Prime Minister of Iraq called me immediately after the incident to express his concerns and later publicly condemned the attack,” President Barzani said. “These developments highlight the urgent need for the Iraqi government to address groups acting outside the law who attack state institutions, whether in Erbil, Baghdad, or elsewhere. A clear limit must be set, and those acting illegally must be held accountable.”

He also expressed gratitude for the support and solidarity shown to him and the Kurdistan Region.

“I would like to thank everyone. I have said it many times: such support is a major strength for us. I deeply appreciate the solidarity of the Kurdistan nation - in Erbil, Duhok, Sulaimani, Garmiyan, Zakho, and across the Region. I express my gratitude to all,” he said.

For weeks, the Kurdistan Region has been caught in the crossfire of the Iran-Israel-US conflict, with Iraqi pro-Iran armed groups aligned with the Tehran-led “Axis of Resistance” carrying out more than 460 attacks on alleged American targets in the Region since February 28, according to Rudaw tracking.

These assaults have persisted despite Kurdish leaders repeatedly assuring that the Region is not a party to the conflict and will not allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against neighboring countries, including Iran.