In Iraq, Tehran strikes against the Iranian Kurdish opposition leave at least nine dead

Claimed by Tehran, these bombardments left a total of nine dead and 32 injured, the victims of whom are in the hospital of Erbil, capital of the autonomous region.

AFP - SAFIN HAMED

Text by: RFI Follow

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At least nine people were killed and around 30 injured on Wednesday in Iraqi Kurdistan in Iranian strikes against armed groups of the Iranian Kurdish opposition, which denounces the repression of demonstrations in the Islamic Republic.

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The Iraqi federal government and the regional power of autonomous Kurdistan, in the north of the country, condemned missile strikes and others carried out according to Baghdad by “

20 drones loaded with explosives

” which targeted four sectors.

Iranian state television claimed that "

 the ground forces of the Revolutionary Guards have targeted several headquarters of separatist terrorists in northern Iraq with precision missiles and destructive drones 

".

These bombardments left a total of nine dead and 32 wounded, announced the Minister of Health of Kurdistan, Saman al-Barzanji, at the bedside of the victims in a hospital in Erbil, capital of the autonomous region.

The Democratic Party of Kurdistan of Iran (PDKI), one of the groups targeted by the bombardments in the region of Koysinjaq, east of Erbil, reported two deaths in its ranks.

On Twitter, the PDKI castigated "

cowardly attacks

", carried out at a time when the Iranian regime "

is unable (...) to silence the civil resistance

" of the Kurdish and Iranian population.

The strikes come amid a tense backdrop in Iran, where nightly protests have taken place daily across the country since

the death of Mahsa Amini

, a 22-year-old woman who died after being arrested by vice police.

Senior officials in Tehran have also linked these bombings to the “

riots

” that are rocking Iran.

Iraqi Kurdistan hosts several Iranian Kurdish opposition groups that historically have waged an armed insurrection against Tehran, although in recent years their military activities have been on the decline.

However, they remain very critical on social networks of the situation in Iran, sharing videos on the protest movement.

In recent days, Iranian artillery fire had repeatedly targeted border areas of Iraqi Kurdistan, without causing significant damage.

In response, Baghdad announced on Wednesday the “

urgent

” summons of the Iranian ambassador to protest against the attacks, Iraqi diplomacy castigating “

unilateral and provocative actions

”.

The United States " 

strongly

 " condemned the strikes, and warned Tehran against further attacks on Iranian Kurdish opposition groups.

Berlin for its part denounced an “

unacceptable escalation

”.

► 

To read also: Iran: Hadis Najafi, 20, shot dead during a demonstration, another symbol of repression

(

With

AFP)

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  • Iran

  • Iraq