KRG Interior Ministry Accuses Hashd al-Shaabi of Drone Attacks, Denies Israeli Base Claims

Peregraf

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Interior Ministry has officially blamed groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, for the recent wave of drone and missile attacks targeting cities in the Kurdistan Region.

In a statement issued on Friday, the ministry said these attacks were "aimed at spreading chaos" and urged the Iraqi federal government to take legal action against the perpetrators.

Since June 30, multiple attacks have struck key locations in Kirkuk, Erbil, Sulaimani, and Zakho, including a missile strike on Kirkuk airport and a drone targeting a refugee camp in Zakho. No casualties have been reported.

The Interior Ministry also rejected reports circulated by Iranian state-affiliated media outlets claiming that an Israeli base in Erbil was the target of a recent drone strike.

"All these reports are misleading and untrue. There is no Israeli base in the Kurdistan Region, and no such operation has been carried out," the statement said.

The ministry confirmed that "a drone crashed in a desert area near Erbil last night" but emphasized that no credible evidence has emerged linking the incident to any Israeli presence.

This is the first time the KRG has directly accused factions within the PMF of conducting drone operations against Kurdish territories. The statement called on Baghdad to "put an end to these destructive acts" and uphold the rule of law.