ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Saturday it dismantled multiple “Kurdish separatist groups” and “counter-revolutionary” cells allegedly preparing the ground for a military attack from the country’s western borders, a news outlet reported.
In a statement released by IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency, “several teams affiliated with counter-revolutionary groups - supported by the US and the Zionist regime" were identified and dismantled, adding that the groups "were seeking to prepare the grounds for an enemy military attack from the west of the country."
The announcement comes against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran after Washington and Tel Aviv launched a preemptive air campaign against the Islamic republic on February 28, targeting more than 17,000 sites over six weeks before a Pakistan-mediated ceasefire was reached on April 8.
Tehran responded with thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets and Israel. Despite the truce, Iranian and Iran-aligned groups have continued attacks on Kurdish opposition bases in the Kurdistan Region.
At least 11 people have been killed in these attacks, including five since the ceasefire took effect, according to a statement by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani last week.
In Kurdistan province, the IRGC said its intelligence carried out “complex intelligence operations” that led to “the dismantling of several organizational cells belonging to Kurdish separatist groups, the arrest of 11 individuals, the elimination of one person, and the seizure of 8 RPG launchers along with more than 2,000 pieces of related ammunition.”
It added that forces also conducted “an intelligence strike against the headquarters of a terrorist group located in the [Kurdistan] Region,” seizing “90 bomb detonators, 18 grenades, 5 mortar shells, 1,253 rounds of various types of ammunition, 6 rifle grenades, and radio communication equipment.”
The IRGC further reported “the arrest of 73 elements affiliated with counter-revolutionary groups active domestically,” alongside the dismantling of a smuggling network and confiscation of “10 Kalashnikov rifles, 2,250 rounds of live ammunition, 2 hunting rifles, 7 RPG launchers, 90 explosive detonators, and several satellite internet terminals.”
In neighboring Kermanshah province, the IRGC said it had identified and detained 155 individuals it described as agents of similar groups during covert operations.
According to the statement, this included “the arrest of 144 individuals within several teams on charges of illegal arms trafficking and the seizure of 17 weapons and 1,200 rounds of ammunition.”
It also said “4 spies linked to the Mossad” were arrested, alleging they had received incentives and were in possession of “significant quantities of weapons, pellets, gunpowder, detonators, and equipment used for manufacturing shotgun shells.”
Additionally, authorities reported “the identification and arrest of 7 separatist elements active in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and purchasing illegal weapons with the intent of attacking government and military facilities.”
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