Iranian missile attack kills six Barzani's militant peshmerga fighters

ERBIL,—A missile strike blamed on Iran hit a Kurdish Peshmerga ⁠military headquarters affiliated with the Barzani-led KDP in Erbil province early Tuesday, killing at least six fighters and injuring 30 others, the Peshmerga office said.

The incident came after days of continued drone and missile attacks targeting paramilitary peshmerga positions.

In a statement, the Peshmerga office, referring to itself as a ministry, said Iranian ballistic missiles struck its Area Command One headquarters in the Soran administration, causing the casualties.

Iraqi Kurdistan Region has been under a series of attacks since February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel began a joint military campaign against Iran. Some of the strikes have been claimed by Iraqi armed groups aligned with Iran.

Officials said Iraqi outlawed armed groups have launched more than 10 attacks on Kurdish peshmerga forces in the past three weeks. They added that Tuesday’s strike is the first directly linked to Iran by authorities.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this attack and all other terrorist attacks carried out against the Kurdistan Region,” the office said. It added that it reserves the right to respond to any aggression against its people and territory.

The Kurdistan Authority, which calls itself the Kurdistan Regional Government KRG, has followed a policy of strict neutrality. It has described itself as a factor of peace, with leaders calling for dialogue and stating that its land will not be used to threaten neighboring states.

Earlier in March, reports claimed that the CIA or Israel could use Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdistan Region to trigger unrest in Iran.

The Kurdistan Regional Government rejected the reports. Aziz Ahmed, chief of staff to caretaker Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, said at the time that not a single Iraqi Kurd had crossed the border.

The Peshmerga office urged all parties to keep conflict away from the Kurdistan Region. It also called on the federal government, the international community, and allies to take action and not remain silent over what it described as violations.

On Sunday, the office called on the federal government in Baghdad to restrain outlawed armed groups behind the attacks.

Iran is believed to hold influence over several armed groups in Iraq. Many of these groups operate within the Shiite Popular Mobilization Forces and also have representation in the government and parliament.

The oil-rich Kurdistan Region has long been plagued by allegations of corruption, with critics claiming tens of billions of dollars have vanished over the past decade.

The ruling Barzani family faces persistent accusations of nepotism and enriching themselves through the oil sector, rather than investing in public services.

Despite controlling a massive oil budget, the regional administration has been criticized for failing to obtain or develop defense capabilities, including drones and other military infrastructure.

Observers argue that much of the wealth generated from Kurdistan’s oil reserves has been diverted for personal gain instead of benefiting the population.