SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said on Sunday countering threats require unity and cooperation among all parties, following a missile attack on Erbil.
In the early hours of Sunday, as many as 12 ballistic missiles were launched from outside Iraq toward the new building of the U.S. Consulate-General in Erbil, according to the Region’s ministry of interior. There were no casualties but damages to buildings near the area.
In a statement, the Region’s president condemned the “cowardly unwarranted missile attack that targeted the people, peace and stability of Erbil.”
“We stand with the great people of Erbil as they spent a worrisome and stressful night,” he added.
“Countering threats and menaces require unity and cooperation among all parties and communities of Kurdistan.”
He further said targeting the Region’s capital was an “alarming development” and that it was a “blatant violation of peace, stability and sovereignty of Iraq”.
“It will only exacerbate the situation and harm Iraq’s interests and future,” he stated.
He called on the Iraqi government and international community to “end such aggressions and do their best to prevent further violations of the sovereignty and stability of the country, and the security and peace of its citizens.”
U.S. officials said earlier that the rockets were launched from Iran.
The Region’s ministry of interior said the ballistic missiles were launched from the eastern side of Iraq’s border, referring to areas on the border with Iran.
Iranian media reported that the attack targeted Israel’s Mossad and U.S. forces in Erbil.
Kurdish authorizes have long denied that there was any Mossad center in the Kurdistan Region, calling the claims “baseless”.
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said Erbil would stand strong against cowardly attacks.
“I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on Erbil and call on its resilient people to keep calm and follow the guidance of the security services,” he said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said the aggression was an attack on the peopel’s security’s
“The aggression which targeted the dear city of Erbil and spread fear amongst its inhabitants is an attack on the security of our people,” Kadhimi said in a tweet.
“I discussed these developments with the KRG PM. Our security forces will investigate and stand firm against any threats towards our people.”
A U.S. State Department spokesperson called it an “outrageous attack” but said no Americans were hurt and there was no damage to U.S. government facilities in Erbil, according to Reuters.
U.S. forces stationed at Erbil’s international airport complex have in the past come under fire from rocket and drone attacks that U.S. officials blame on Iran-aligned militia groups, but no such attacks have occurred for several months.
The last time ballistic missiles were directed at U.S. forces was in January 2020 — an Iranian retaliation for the U.S. killing earlier that month of its military commander Qassem Soleimani at Baghdad airport.
No U.S. personnel were killed in the 2020 attack but many suffered head injuries.
Iraq and neighboring Syria are regularly the scene of violence between the United States and Iran. Iran-backed Shia militias have attacked U.S. forces in both countries and Washington has on occasion retaliated with air strikes.
An Israeli air strike in Syria on Monday killed two members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Iranian state media said this week. The IRGC vowed to retaliate, it said.
