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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has vowed to continue its operation against Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.
In a statement released on September 29, the IRGC Ground Forces confirmed that the ongoing operation was launched in response to Kurdish-led protests in Iran. The guards accused opposition groups in Kurdistan of inciting and supporting the protests.
“In the wake of an uptick in the seditious acts of separatist and terrorist groups stationed in Iraq’s northern region, the proven role and involvement of some terrorist and separatist outfits in the recent riots that have gripped some Iranian towns and cities, the discovery and neutralization a major sabotage plot hatched by Komala terrorist group against Iran’s nuclear facilities, and disregard of the Kurdistan Regional Government (officials for calls demanding the destruction of the terrorists’ bases, the IRGC Ground Forces identified their command centers and headquarters, which were also instigating and supporting recent wicked acts, and heavily bombarded them in a decisive and retaliatory response,” the statement reads.
The guards went on to stress that the operation in Kurdistan will go on until all the targeted groups are disarmed, calling on the region government and Baghdad to take responsibility and act against the said groups.
Protests broke out across Iran on September 16 following the death of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish Iranian woman who was arrested for allegedly breaking Iran’s strict rules on wearing the hijab, the Islamic head covering for women.
The IRGC launched its operation against the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan and other Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups in Kurdistan on September 24.
Later on September 28, the guards carried out a series of strikes on positions of Kurdish-Iranian insurgents in Kurdistan. Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour, commander of the IRGC Ground Forces revealed that dozens of ballistic missiles and suicide drones were used in the strikes, which killed 13 people and wounded at least 58 others.
The strikes were condemned by the Kurdistan Region Government as well as the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, who summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against the IRGC operation.
The IRGC is clearly determined to go on with its operation to deter Kurdish-Iranian opposition groups and their foreign backers. The upcoming days will likely witness more missile and drone strikes by the guards on the positions of these groups in Kurdistan.
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