Komala female fighter dies after four hospitals refuse to treat her

Kurdish Female Komala Party Fighter Dies After Four Hospitals Deny Her Care in Sulaimani

SULAIMANI,— Four hospitals in Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, refused to treat a wounded Iranian Kurdish female Peshmerga fighter after she was injured in an Iranian drone strike, and she died following more than an hour of failed attempts to find her a bed, reports said.

Ghazal Mawlan, a member of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, an Iranian Kurdish opposition party operating from Iraqi Kurdistan, sustained serious injuries Tuesday when drones launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran struck the Surdash camp.

Two other Komala fighters were also injured in the attack.

Her comrades rushed her to Sulaimani for emergency care. The first stop was Shorsh Hospital, where medical staff gave her basic initial treatment.

When the group requested admission for further services, including MRI scans, X-rays and intensive care, the hospital said it lacked available beds and the necessary equipment.

A comrade later said it became clear a decision had been handed down from above not to accept the patient.

Asia Hospital was contacted next and refused outright. The group then went to Baxshin Hospital, which at first agreed to take her in.

Once staff confirmed the case was connected to a drone attack and had a political dimension, the hospital withdrew its agreement. An argument broke out.

A doctor on the scene checked Mawlan’s pulse and warned that her heart rate had fallen to a dangerous level. The hospital still did not admit her. The group stood outside for more than 30 minutes.

Attempts to reach Mercy Hospital from inside the ambulance went unanswered. After more than 10 minutes of calls, Farooq Hospital agreed to accept her following a short internal delay.

When she arrived, staff moved her inside immediately. Minutes later, a doctor reported her heart had stopped. She was connected to a ventilator, indicating a critical emergency state. Efforts to save her continued for more than an hour before she died.

Amjad Hussein Panahi, a member of Komala’s leadership, published the account as told by Mawlan’s comrade, saying the collapse of her heart rate during the transfer from Baxshin Hospital to Farooq Hospital was central to her death.

The news spread rapidly online. Some critics suggested that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which holds authority in Sulaimani, may have quietly discouraged hospitals from admitting members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups, as the party is believed to be cautious about provoking Iran.

Iran has repeatedly struck Kurdish opposition camps in Iraqi Kurdistan in recent weeks with drones and missiles.

Dr. Goran Abdullah, a well-known physician in Iraqi Kurdistan, posted a sharp reaction online, saying the Islamic Republic killed Mawlan once and that those running Kurdistan’s healthcare sector killed her many times over.

Users across Kurdish platforms demanded accountability from the hospitals and expressed sympathy for Mawlan and for Kurds in Eastern Kurdistan, also referred to as Iranian Kurdistan, who have faced sustained Iranian military strikes targeting opposition factions.

None of the four hospitals issued a public statement. Komala confirmed the Surdash camp was struck and identified Mawlan among those killed.

(With files from Agencies)