Erbil witnessed a series of drone attacks targeting civilian areas late Wednesday night, marking a significant security escalation that has sparked widespread concern among residents. Despite the intensity of the strikes, official statements confirmed that no human casualties were recorded.
Details of the Incident
According to local media outlets in the Kurdistan Region citing local sources, a drone crashed through the roof of a café on Iskan Street at approximately 12:00 midnight on Wednesday. The venue is a popular gathering spot for the city’s youth. While the site sustained material damage, the drone failed to detonate, preventing a potential massacre.
The café is owned by Fakher Hariri, a prominent Erbil businessman with no known political or military affiliations. Speaking to the Rudaw network, Hariri commented on the incident:
“Is this a camp or a military base? This is a place for the poor and the workers; 50 young men work here to make a living. They launched a drone and struck this place. Thank God it did not explode; had it detonated, 50 poor young souls would have been martyred here.”
Hariri called upon the Iraqi government and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to “reconsider the status of these groups, for enough is enough,” adding, “Kurds are also capable of launching drones and destroying them, but Kurds have a conscience.”
Widespread Strikes
In a related context, a security source told Shafaq News that several explosions were heard in the skies over Erbil, though their exact nature was not immediately clear. For his part, the Governor of Erbil, Omed Khoshnaw, confirmed that approximately 25 attacks were detected targeting the city throughout the night, noting that no injuries resulted from these operations.
The threat extended to the Duhok Governorate, where a security source announced that security forces successfully shot down two drones flying over the Sarsang sub-district in the north of the province. The source confirmed that the interception caused no damage.
International Political Response
On the political front, the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, received a message from U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The message was conveyed via a phone call by Tom Barrack, the Special Envoy to Syria and U.S. Ambassador to Turkey.
A statement from the President’s Media Office noted that Barrack conveyed Trump’s “strong condemnation” of the attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region, specifically the drone strike on Barzani’s residence in Duhok. He expressed solidarity and offered condolences to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery for the wounded.
According to the statement, Barrack emphasized:
“The full support of President Trump and the United States for the protection of the security and stability of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.”
President Barzani expressed his gratitude for this stance and reiterated his appreciation for American support, noting that the regional repercussions of the ongoing war were also discussed during the call.
The targeting of the Kurdistan Region President’s home in Duhok last Saturday has sparked a wave of condemnation from political forces and international officials. Critics have labeled it a “dangerous escalation” and an “unacceptable assault,” amid growing calls to identify and hold the perpetrators accountable to prevent further attacks.
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