Attack on President Barzani’s residence aims to expand scope of regional conflict: Russia

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The perpetrators behind the drone attack targeting the residence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani aimed to further expand the scope of the ongoing conflict in the region, Russia said on Monday, strongly urging a cessation of hostilities, including on “non-military targets.”

In a statement, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Moscow “strongly condemns” the attack on the residence of President Barzani in the Kurdistan Region’s northern Duhok province on Saturday, which was “struck by an unidentified self-exploding drone.”

The attack is “designed to further widen the geographical scope of an unprecedented - in terms of scale and devastation - military and political crisis, sparked by the unprovoked aggression of the United States and Israel against Iran,” Zakharova added, underscoring her country’s deep concern over “the ongoing armed confrontation in the Persian Gulf region and the growing number of attacks targeting administrative and civilian infrastructure.”

Moscow “is firmly in favour of the swift cessation of hostilities and the return to a political and diplomatic settlement,” the Russian Foreign Ministry official relayed, affirming, “We consistently and persistently call on all parties to the conflict to refrain from attacks on non-military targets.”

The US and Israel on February 28 launched a coordinated military campaign against Iran, with US Central Command (CENTCOM) reporting on Saturday that more than 11,000 targets across Iran have been struck so far.

In response, Tehran has carried out thousands of drone and missile strikes across the Middle East, targeting alleged US assets in the region - particularly in Gulf Arab states - as well as launching retaliatory 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.

According to Rudaw tracking, roughly 500 drone and missile attacks have been launched at the Kurdistan Region since late February, with at least 50 carried out Saturday evening.

The attack on President Barzani’s Duhok residence drew wide international condemnation, including from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who on Sunday strongly deplored the incident and urged “an immediate and thorough investigation” into it.

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