Recent Kurdistan Region attacks expose Baghdad’s struggle with Iran-backed militias - analysis
Three drones were intercepted over Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, as Baghdad seeks to bring armed groups under state control and rein in Iran-backed militias.
On August 14, three drones were intercepted over Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. Since February, the region has been targeted by over 1,000 drones and missiles launched by Iran and its Iranian-backed proxies. Iraq has vowed to curb the influence of Iranian-backed militias in Baghdad, yet the ongoing attacks show the difficulties faced by the central government in curbing these threats.
The drone attack on August 14 was intercepted by US-led Global Coalition forces, according to Erbil-based Directorate General of Counter Terrorism (CTD). No casualties were reported.
Iran has also launched missile and drone attacks on the Alana valley in recent days, targeting the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) and Komala, two Kurdish Iranian opposition groups. As of early August, more than 950 drone and missile attacks by Iran and allied armed groups have been recorded in the Kurdistan Region, resulting in 32 deaths and 154 injuries.
An Iranian-backed militia, Kata ib Sayyid al-Shuhada (KSS), denied responsibility for the latest attack on August 14 and claimed a "partial agreement" to halt attacks. KSS is one of the major Iranian-backed threats in Iraq and operates as both an illegal militia and a semi-official government force. Other Iranian-backed groups, such as Kata Hezbollah, are also part of the Iraqi paramilitary group Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Kurdistan Regional President Nechirvan Barzani reported that the region has faced 1,000 attacks using drones and missiles, with 32 people killed and nearly 150 injured. To address this issue, Baghdad aims to disarm the militias and bring their weapons under state control. Erbil supports this plan, along with the US, Saudi Arabia, and others.
The PMF has deployed its 52nd Brigade to the Amirli district in eastern Salahaddin province to maintain security. Despite these efforts, the PMF remains a constitutional and legal institution and a significant factor in Iraq's security landscape. The Iraqi government seeks to integrate and coordinate all armed forces and weapons under state authority, but the complex relationship between the PMF and the central government remains to be seen.
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