Conflict & Security
Kurdish group says strikes killed nine members in Iraq as drones downed over Erbil
Drone and rocket strikes killed nine members of the Iranian Kurdish armed opposition group Komala in Iraq's Kurdistan region on Friday, the exiled party said, blaming Iran for the attack.
Idriss Kohlwazi, from the exiled Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan, said the attack began at 04:30 local time, or 0130 GMT, with drones and rockets hitting a camp near Sulaimaniyah. He said nine party members were killed there.
Komala's Amjad Panahi said a later strike hit another camp belonging to Kurdish rebels and wounded two fighters.
In Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region, the US-led coalition against jihadist groups shot down several drones. AFP journalists heard loud explosions in the city. Kurdish counterterrorism forces said coalition forces downed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 04:19 and 05:25 local time, or 0119 and 0225 GMT. A Kurdish security official later said five more drones were intercepted. No damage or casualties were reported in those incidents.
Erbil is home to a large US consulate complex, and its airport houses military advisers attached to the US-led coalition. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks in Erbil.
Separately, a Kurdish military source said a missile hit a Peshmerga arms depot in Tasluja, near Sulaimaniyah. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said the strike caused a large fire but no casualties were reported.
Masrour Barzani, prime minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, denounced what his office called unjustified attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the region. His office urged Iran to stop the escalation and called on Iraq's federal government and the international community to end the violations.
The attacks came during renewed military escalation between the United States and Iran, both of which are important allies of Iraq. During the Middle East war, the Kurdistan region, which hosts US troops, foreign oil companies and exiled Iranian Kurdish rebels, was targeted in attacks by Iran and pro-Iran Iraqi armed groups.
The source reported that Iran continued to strike Kurdish opposition groups even after a ceasefire was announced in April. Tehran accuses those groups of serving Western and Israeli interests. The source said Friday's attack was the biggest escalation involving the groups, which had mostly evacuated their bases and camps since the war.
On Wednesday evening, the coalition also shot down eight drones over Erbil. AFP journalists reported that the drones were hit by air defences near the US consulate, which had been a main target during the regional war. During that war, pro-Iran armed groups operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq targeted US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times in support of Tehran.
Update
A later strike hit another Kurdish rebel camp and wounded two fighters, according to Komala's Amjad Panahi.
Kurdish counterterrorism forces said coalition forces downed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 04:19 and 05:25 local time, and a Kurdish security official later said five more drones were intercepted.
A Kurdish military source said a missile hit a Peshmerga arms depot in Tasluja near Sulaimaniyah, causing a large fire but no reported casualties.
Kurdistan region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani denounced what his office called unjustified Iranian attacks and urged Iran to stop the escalation.
The source adds context that the coalition also shot down eight drones over Erbil on Wednesday evening and that no group had claimed responsibility for the Erbil attacks.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 20:03:00 UTC.
Update
The US-led coalition shot down eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 04:19 and 05:25 local time, according to Kurdish counterterrorism forces.
No damage or casualties were reported from the Erbil drone interceptions.
A separate missile strike hit a Peshmerga arms depot in Tasluja near Sulaimaniyah, causing a large fire but no reported casualties, according to a Kurdish military source.
Kurdistan region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani denounced what his office called unjustified attacks by Iran and urged Iran to stop the escalation.
The coalition also shot down eight drones over Erbil on Wednesday evening, with no group claiming responsibility for attacks in Erbil.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 19:24:27 UTC.
Update
Komala official Amjad Panahi said a later strike hit another Kurdish rebel camp and wounded two fighters.
Kurdistan regional prime minister Masrour Barzani denounced what his office called unjustified Iranian attacks and urged Iran to stop the escalation.
The report says coalition forces also shot down eight drones over Erbil on Wednesday evening.
No group has claimed responsibility for the Erbil drone attacks, according to the source.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 13:12:48 UTC.
Update
Komala said the death toll from the early strike rose from eight to nine members killed.
Komala said two others were wounded in the early attack near Sulaimaniyah.
Komala said a later strike hit another Kurdish rebel camp and wounded two fighters.
Kurdish counterterrorism forces said coalition forces downed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil on Friday between 04:19 and 05:25 local time, with no damage or casualties reported.
The source says the Friday attack was the biggest escalation after the ceasefire, after the groups had mostly evacuated bases and camps since the war.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 11:45:13 UTC.
Update
Komala's Idriss Kohlwazi said the attack used drones and rockets against a party camp and its vicinity near Sulaimaniyah.
The report links the escalation in Iraq to renewed military escalation between the United States and Iran.
The source says Friday's attack was the biggest escalation after an April ceasefire, after Kurdish opposition groups had mostly evacuated bases and camps since the war.
Kurdish counterterrorism forces said coalition forces downed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 04:19 and 05:25 local time, with no damage or casualties reported.
The source says the Erbil drone incident was the second such incident in the city that week, after eight drones were also shot down on Wednesday evening.
No group has claimed responsibility for the Erbil attacks, according to the source.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 07:47:30 UTC.
Update
The strikes were reported in Iraq's Kurdistan region near Sulaimaniyah.
The exiled Komala party identified itself as the group whose camp and nearby area were attacked.
Idriss Kohlwazi from Komala said Iran attacked with drones and rockets.
Komala said the strikes happened early Friday morning.
Komala said others were wounded in addition to the eight members killed.
Source note: AFP news report published on 17 July 2026 at 07:07:15 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
No group had claimed responsibility for the Erbil attacks at the time of the report.
The report attributes responsibility for the strikes on Komala camps and the Kurdistan region to statements by Komala and Kurdish authorities.
Source
AFP news report published on .