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In the last couple of hours, Iran escalated its regional military campaign by launching a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. The strikes, attributed to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), followed retaliatory US and Israeli actions on February 28 that reportedly killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Between February 28 and March 2, multiple bases of Kurdish opposition factions were hit in Erbil, Duhok, Sulaymaniyah, and Koya.
The Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), Komala Party, and other groups confirmed being targeted. PAK released video footage showing what it claimed was a Shahed 136 drone attack near Erbil. Ballistic missiles were also launched, though some were intercepted. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated that Erbil had been struck by over 70 missiles and drones, underscoring Iraq’s role as a battleground in the broader Iran-US-Israel conflict.
Kurdish Coalition Retaliates with Cross-Border Operations
In response, the PDKI announced on March 2 that it had initiated military operations inside Iran. Aso Saleh, a PDKI-affiliated political analyst, reported that attacks had intensified across Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat), targeting border posts, intelligence offices, judiciary buildings, police stations, and missile facilities. The group claimed to have freed prisoners in Mariwan, Iran, marking a significant escalation.
The PDKI, along with the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), confirmed their forces were actively operating inside Iran. PJAK condemned the cross-border strikes and reaffirmed its commitment to armed resistance. Komala Party leader Abdullah Mohtadi declared, “The breaths of the Islamic Republic regime are running out,” urging Kurdish soldiers in the Iranian military to defect and join the opposition.
United Kurdish Front Emerges Amid Regional Turmoil
On February 22, five major Iranian Kurdish groups—PDKI, PAK, PJAK, Komala, and Khabat—formed the Coalition of Political Forces of Iranian Kurdistan, aiming to overthrow the Islamic Republic and establish a federal, democratic Iran with full Kurdish self-determination. This alliance marks a historic unification of factions long divided by ideology and strategy.
The coalition emerged amid the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests and rising regional tensions. While PJAK advocates for democratic confederalism inspired by the PKK, PDKI supports federalism within a democratic Iran. Despite differences, the coalition has agreed on coordinated military, political, and diplomatic action.
Iran Seeks to Turn Iraq into a Strategic Buffer Zone
Analysts suggest Iran aims to transform Iraq, particularly the Kurdistan Region, into a “Near Abroad” buffer zone, mirroring Russia’s strategy in Ukraine. By activating Iranian-backed militias like Kataib Hezbollah and Saraya Awliya Al-Dam, Iran has intensified drone attacks on US forces in Erbil and Harir, attempting to draw Western military focus away from its own territory.
The US maintains a significant presence in the Kurdistan Region, including near Erbil Airport, which has been repeatedly targeted. The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) condemned the attacks, stating it will not allow its territory to be used against any neighbor, while also criticizing Iran for turning the region into a war zone.