Drone Strikes: Iran Targets Kurdish Base in Northern Iraq
Two explosive drones hit a Komala base in Balisan and a home in Halabja, marking another escalation in Tehran's campaign against opposition groups.
By Rosa Wojcik ·
Iran launched a drone attack on Kurdish opposition forces in northern Iraq on Wednesday, a move that occurred shortly after the United States midterm elections.
Rudaw, a Kurdish media outlet, reported that two explosive drones struck a Komala base in the Alana valley of Balisan. The impact zone was located approximately 90 kilometers northeast of Erbil. The attack took place at 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday morning. Komala stated that its forces at the site suffered no casualties despite material damage to the base.
A separate strike damaged a house in Tawella, located in Halabja province, early Tuesday morning. A security source told Rudaw that the property sustained extensive damage. Homeowner Alwan Abdullah said the structure suffered heavy damage, with all glass, doors, and windows broken. He noted that residents had not yet found any debris from the strike.
Ali Ranjbari, head of Komala’s relations, identified the incident as a drone attack by the Islamic Republic. He accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of orchestrating the strike. Ranjbari described the action as part of a wider Iranian campaign intended to spread conflict into Iraq. He also stated that Tehran aims to preempt any potential Kurdish uprising.
Komala is one of five Kurdish groups in a coalition opposing the Iranian regime. The coalition includes the Kurdistan Free Life Party, the Kurdistan Freedom Party, and the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan. Iran has conducted more than 1,000 attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq using drones and missiles. These groups have maintained bases in the area for decades, drawing criticism from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Tensions have intensified since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28. The KRG leadership in Erbil has expressed wariness that these opposition groups might drag the autonomous region into a larger conflict. Last month, Iranian Ambassador to Iraq Mohammed Kazem Al-e Sadegh claimed Baghdad agreed to expel these organizations or hand members to Tehran. An Iraqi official who attended the related security meeting disputed that claim.
The strikes illustrate a continued pattern of Iranian targeting in the region. Tehran faces wider regional tensions and domestic unrest while maintaining pressure on Kurdish dissidents. The KRG maintains close relations with Western countries while sharing a long border with Iran.
