Drone Strikes Hit Kurdish Opposition Camp in Erbil

Two drones struck a camp belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group in the Koya district of Erbil on Monday, October 12, in the latest cross-border attack on opposition bases inside Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. The strikes caused material damage but no casualties, according to the group.

The drones hit the Azadi Camp, which houses members and families of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), at 12:05 pm and 12:25 pm local time, a member of the group’s leadership, Amanj Zebaii, told reporters. He described the drones as suspected Iranian aircraft and said the damage was limited to property.

A Long-Running Target

The Azadi Camp has been hit repeatedly in recent months. In late September, the KDPI was targeted twice within a single week, and one strike on Erbil’s Soran administration area injured at least one person when projectiles landed in a residential area.

Koya district mayor Tariq Haydari said in March that the camp had been evacuated because of repeated attacks, leaving its current status unclear. The KDPI says its bases have faced dozens of strikes since the regional war broke out in February, and the group recalls that Iran first tested drones and missiles against it in 2017.

Timing After Coalition Withdrawal

The strikes come after the official withdrawal of the US-led international coalition against ISIS from Iraq, under an agreement between Washington and Baghdad. Beyond fighting ISIS, the coalition had played a role in intercepting drones and missiles in the region.

However, the KDPI says the latest attacks are not linked to the withdrawal. According to the group, Iranian strikes continued during diplomatic talks and ceasefire periods alike, and the pattern of attacks on its camps has not changed since the coalition’s departure.

Regional Security Concerns

Cross-border strikes on Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have drawn condemnation from Iraqi and Kurdish authorities in the past, who view them as violations of Iraq’s sovereignty. The renewed strikes add pressure to an already fragile security situation in northern Iraq.

No official comment had been issued by Baghdad or the Kurdistan Regional Government at the time of publication. Watan News International continues to follow developments in the region.