️ Iran's military has launched missile strikes targeting the headquarters of Iranian Kurdish opposition forces in northern Iraq, escalating attacks on Kurdish regions both within Iran and across the border. In a statement quoted by Iranian state media, the military claimed it attacked "Kurdish groups opposed to the revolution in Iraqi Kurdistan with three missiles," as Tehran intensifies its campaign against these groups amid regional tensions.
️ The strikes come against a backdrop of speculation that former US President Donald Trump purportedly sought to enlist Kurdish forces in the fight against Iran, while US and Israeli military actions in the region continue. The BBC has confirmed that one person was killed and three injured in Iranian strikes on Tuesday and Wednesday targeting bases belonging to two separate Kurdish opposition groups, highlighting the human cost of the escalating conflict.
️ BBC correspondents visited the attack sites, documenting significant damage. At one base, a ballistic missile strike around 11:00 local time (08:00 GMT) on Wednesday injured four Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, one of whom later died from his injuries. The assault crushed a building, scattering rubble and twisted metal over a wide area and leaving a missile gouge in the ground. At another base belonging to the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (KDPI), the aftermath of a double drone strike on Tuesday was observed, reportedly injuring one civilian.
️ A senior KDPI political leader told the BBC that Kurds would likely be fighting in Iran soon, though he did not provide a specific timeline, reflecting growing militancy among exiled groups. He declined to comment on reports that Trump had allegedly spoken to the KDPI leader recently. A 25-year-old fighter named Hassan, armed with an AK-47, expressed eagerness to go to Iran to fight for freedom, stating, "We are closer than ever," as Iranian authorities label these groups as "terrorist organizations" and demand an end to their activities.
️ Between 25 and 35 million Kurds inhabit a mountainous region spanning Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Armenia, forming the fourth-largest ethnic group in the Middle East without ever achieving a permanent nation-state. In Iran, where Shia Muslims are the majority, Kurds—mainly Sunni Muslims—constitute about 10% of the 84 million population and predominantly reside in the northwestern regions, often facing systemic challenges.
️ Amnesty International has noted that Iranian Kurds have "long suffered deep-rooted discrimination," with their "social, political, and cultural rights repressed, as have their economic aspirations." Exiled Kurdish opposition groups, seeking an independent state or regional autonomy, have engaged in armed clashes with Iranian security forces from their bases in Iraqi Kurdistan in recent years, underscoring the persistent friction and instability in the area.
Source: www.bbc.com