Iran escalates drone attacks targeting Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq

What Happened

On July 27–28, Iran escalated its drone campaign against Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. Four drones struck bases belonging to the Komala of Toilers of Kurdistan in the Alana Valley east of Erbil, while another drone was shot down, according to Rudaw media and group officials. Two drones also crashed inside the Jezhnikan camp of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) east of Erbil, without casualties; the camp had been evacuated since the outbreak of the US-Iran war. Amjad Hussein Panahi, head of Komala communications, told Rudaw that Komala bases have been targeted by over 95 missiles and drones since the start of the war. The Kurdistan Region’s Prime Minister Masrour Barzani stated the drones were launched from an area near Mosul, controlled by Iranian-backed militias operating under the IRGC. Separately, Iran’s state media reported that several members of the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) were killed in clashes with Iranian security forces inside Iran.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The strikes mark a further escalation in Iran’s cross-border campaign to suppress Kurdish opposition groups, leveraging IRGC-commanded proxies inside Iraq. The attacks originate from territory Baghdad formally controls but where Iranian-backed militias operate freely, exposing the Iraqi government’s inability to enforce sovereignty and reign in the armed factions. The violence unfolds amid broader regional tensions following US-Iran military strikes and ongoing indirect talks over a June MoU, heightening risks of inadvertent escalation between Iran, its proxies, and US or Israeli forces in the region.

Watch For

Monitor whether Iran continues drone strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan, especially using militia launch sites near Mosul. Watch for any response from Kurdish groups, including cross-border actions or international appeals. Assess the effectiveness of Baghdad’s efforts to constrain the militias, as well as the progress and impact of indirect US-Iran communications and the June MoU implementation. Also track whether PJAK clashes inside Iran signal a broader crackdown or further regional spillover.