SULAIMANIYA, Iraq — Iran launched ballistic missile and drone assaults throughout the border at Kurdish Iranian opposition bases in Iraq on Monday, killing a minimum of two folks and wounding a minimum of 9, in accordance with opposition teams.
Iran’s semiofficial Fars information company mentioned on Monday that the safety forces had focused “terrorist teams” with missiles and drones. They blame the teams for fueling protests which have swept Iran for the reason that demise in custody in September of a younger Kurdish-Iranian lady accused of violating the regulation on head scarves.
The Kurdistan Democratic Celebration of Iran mentioned two of its members had been killed and a minimum of 9 severely wounded when its principal base close to the town of Koya in Iraq’s Kurdistan Area was hit by Iranian Fateh-110 ballistic missiles, mentioned the deputy head of the get together, Amanj Zebaii. He mentioned 5 smaller mountain bases of the group within the Sidakan space had been additionally hit.
The director of Koya’s principal hospital, Sherwan Jalal, mentioned ambulances had been dispatched however couldn’t enter the bottom due to the continued hazard of airstrikes. He mentioned there have been believed to be extra casualties beneath the rubble. Mr. Jalal mentioned Koya residents had been coming in to donate blood for the wounded.
One other main opposition group, Komala, the Iranian Kurdish Communist Celebration, mentioned its base close to Sulaimaniya additionally got here beneath assault Monday morning however didn’t endure casualties. A Komala official, Navid Mehrawar, mentioned the bottom was focused with 5 suicide drones.
The Kurdish media posted movies of air raid sirens sounding from the U.S. consulate within the middle of the Kurdish capital, Erbil.
The assaults on Monday had been the primary since a number of days of Iranian strikes on the finish of September killed 18 folks, together with a pregnant lady, and injured virtually 60 at and round opposition bases throughout the area, in accordance with Kurdish well being ministry officers.
Iranian refugees, together with ladies and youngsters, had been among the many casualties, in accordance with the U.N. refugee company.
A number of armed Iranian Kurdish opposition teams have maintained bases for years close to the border in neighboring Iraq. They are saying they maintain their weapons — principally rifles and rocket-propelled grenades — for self-defense and to assist defend the Iraqi border.
One of many teams, P.A.Ok., was a part of the U.S.-backed coalition of Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State after its takeover of elements of northern Iraq in 2014.
Iran has repeatedly demanded that Iraq shut down the opposition bases and disarm the fighters.
Iraq’s new prime minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, informed reporters in Baghdad on Saturday that the management of the Kurdistan Area, which is semiautonomous, had refused the disarmament demand.