KRG denies ‘Israeli base’ targeted in drone attack, blames PMF-linked groups

ERBIL — The Kurdistan Regional Government on Friday denied reports that a drone attack near Erbil targeted an Israeli base and, for the first time, formally accused factions linked to Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces of being behind a wave of drone attacks aimed at creating instability.

“Some Iranian state-affiliated electronic media reported that a drone targeted an Israeli-affiliated base in Erbil last night,” the KRG Ministry of Interior said in a statement. “We reject all these claims. They are baseless and far from reality. There are no Israeli bases in Kurdistan, and no such operation took place.”

The statement followed an explosive-laden drone interception near Erbil International Airport late Thursday, which caused no casualties or damage, according to Kurdish counterterrorism forces. The airport, which houses troops from the U.S.-led international coalition, remained operational with only a brief flight delay.

Iranian outlet Tahlilbazaar had claimed the drone targeted a radio relay site allegedly linked to Israeli intelligence. The site was described as part of a broader network purportedly guiding drones into Iranian territory.

The KRG dismissed the report and said the drone had crashed in a remote area near Erbil. “A drone fell in a deserted area near Erbil. These attacks are carried out by groups affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces under the pretext of creating chaos,” the ministry said. It marked the first official KRG statement directly blaming PMF-linked factions for such incidents.

The KRG also urged Baghdad to respond. “Relevant authorities in the federal government must draw a clear boundary for such reckless acts and hold the perpetrators legally accountable,” it said.

Thursday’s incident was the latest in a series of aerial attacks across Iraq. On June 2, two drones crashed in Sulaymaniyah’s Tasluja area. The night before, Kirkuk International Airport was struck by three missiles, another hit a house in the city, and a drone carrying explosives struck a school in Zakho’s Bersiv camp. Unidentified drones also flew over the Baiji refinery in Salah Al-Din. Days earlier, radar sites at military bases in Baghdad and southern Iraq were targeted.

No group has claimed responsibility for any of the recent attacks.

Iran has previously used allegations of Israeli activity to justify strikes in the Kurdistan Region. On Jan. 15, 2024, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps fired ballistic missiles at Erbil, claiming to target a Mossad espionage center. The attack killed four civilians, including Kurdish businessman Peshraw Dizayee, his infant daughter, their housekeeper, and another person. Seventeen others were injured.

Both the KRG and the Iraqi federal government denied the existence of Israeli intelligence facilities in Erbil. Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji, after visiting the site, said the claims were “baseless.”