Bafel Talabani Says Names of Attackers Submitted to Baghdad, Warns of Kurdish Response

Peregraf — Bafel Talabani, president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), said his side has submitted the names of individuals and groups responsible for recent attacks on the Kurdistan Region to the federal government in Baghdad, warning that they may deal with those responsible themselves if decisive action is not taken.

In a statement released after several nights of escalating violence, Talabani said the Kurdistan Region had endured “nights of hardship” amid ongoing drone and missile attacks.

“We have submitted the names of certain individuals and parties to Baghdad who are carrying out attacks against the Kurdistan Region,” Talabani said. “We await Baghdad to take serious steps toward implementing the necessary measures.” 

He added that while Kurdish leaders believe officials in Baghdad are attempting to prevent further escalation, the patience of the Kurdistan Region has limits.

“I know that our friends in Baghdad are making every effort to prevent further turmoil, but if no action is taken, then we will deal with them ourselves,” he said. 

Talabani also revealed that Kurdish authorities had engaged in intensive diplomatic contacts over the past several days with regional and international actors, including leaders in Iran, the United States, and Turkey, in an effort to shield the Kurdistan Region from the widening conflict.

He said recent remarks by Donald Trump and Masoud Pezeshkian had raised hopes that tensions might ease and that the region would be spared further instability.

The statement came after another night of drone attacks targeting both Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Security officials said one member of the Asayish security forces was killed in Erbil, while a fighter from the Iranian Kurdish opposition Komala — the Revolutionary Organization of Kurdistan's Toilers —  was also killed in Sulaymaniyah.

The latest incidents are part of a broader escalation across the Kurdistan Region. Security sources say more than 100 drones and missiles have targeted various locations over the past week.

Many of the strikes have been directed at areas near energy facilities and security installations, raising concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in the region.

The attacks are widely attributed either to Iran or to armed factions affiliated with the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a network of Iran-aligned militias operating inside Iraq.

In recent days, several members of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region have also been killed or wounded in attacks attributed to Iranian forces or allied militias. 

Talabani concluded his statement by emphasizing the need for stability across Iraq, saying the country’s long civilization and history require that all efforts be directed toward peace rather than further conflict.