Kurdistan
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani (left) and Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Kingdom on Sunday condemned the drone strike that targeted the residence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok the day before, the Kurdistan Region Presidency said following a phone call between President Barzani and Britain's Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
During the call, the Presidency said in a statement, Cooper “strongly condemned" the drone strike on President Barzani's residence and extended her sympathies to "the families of the Peshmergas who were martyred or injured in the recent attack on the Kurdistan Region."
The exchange comes amid escalating regional tensions following a February 28 coordinated military campaign by the United States and Israel against Iran.
In retaliation, Tehran has launched widespread drone and missile attacks across the Middle East, targeting alleged US-linked positions in the region - as well as launching attacks against Israel.
The Iranian response has also involved Iraqi armed groups aligned with the Tehran-led 'Axis of Resistance,' with several factions claiming responsibility for attacks on purported US targets in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. The latest incident included a drone attack targeting President Barzani’s residence in Duhok.
The violence has taken a heavy toll on the Kurdistan Region. Earlier this week, six Peshmerga fighters were killed and more than 20 others wounded in missile strikes on a base in Soran administration, northeast of Erbil, marking the deadliest attack so far in the recent escalation.
The British foreign secretary reaffirmed London’s position on regional stability, emphasizing “her country’s strong commitment to peace and stability in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” and highlighting the UK’s “dedication to continued cooperation and support.”
President Barzani, in turn, thanked the UK for its backing, expressing “his gratitude to Ms. Cooper for her call and for the United Kingdom’s support and assistance to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.” He reiterated that “the Kurdistan Region has not been part of this conflict and will not be drawn into it.”
The call also addressed broader political and security developments. Both sides discussed “the political situation in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region,” as well as ongoing regional conflict and its global implications.
“Both sides underscored the importance of pursuing a peaceful resolution and intensifying diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict to an end,” read the statement.
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