The Kurdistan Region Under Siege
Yesterday and last night, the Kurdistan Region and broader Iraq experienced what may be the heaviest wave of attacks by Iran and Iran-linked militias since the conflict began on February 28th. The Kurdistan Region bore the brunt of the assault, with strikes hitting all three major governorates: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.
A drone attack targeted the residence of Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in Duhok, drawing immediate condemnation from KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who described it as a "cowardly" act. The U.S. State Department also denounced the attack, calling it "despicable." Universities, civilian areas, and Peshmerga bases and outposts across the region were also struck. The IRGC has threatened to target American and Israeli-affiliated universities in the region, warning students and staff to stay at least one kilometer away from such campuses.
Iranian Kurdish opposition forces were heavily targeted as well. Groups including the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), and several Komala factions have been hit repeatedly across Sulaymaniyah and Erbil governorates throughout March. According to Rudaw, attacks carried out by Iran and its aligned militia groups have killed at least 14 people and wounded 85 others in the Kurdistan Region since the start of the war. The militias are believed to be carrying out roughly two dozen attacks per day.
The strategic logic behind the escalation is becoming clearer. The Kurdistan Region hosts the majority of U.S. forces in Iraq, particularly after troops were redeployed there from other parts of Iraq and northeastern Syria in recent years. There is a growing fear among Iran and its allied militias that the region could serve as a staging ground for U.S. military operations or as a corridor for Iranian Kurdish opposition forces to cross into Iran. Multiple reports have indicated that Washington has been in active contact with Iranian Kurdish groups, with U.S. officials reportedly aiming to stretch Iranian forces by encouraging a popular uprising.
The timing of the escalation is notable. The death toll among security forces across Iraq has reached at least 105 since the war began, the majority of them PMF fighters. Meanwhile, a fresh wave of U.S. military reinforcements has arrived in the Gulf theater, with approximately 2,200 Marines and 2,000 sailors now in the region. Reports also suggest paratroopers may be prepositioned elsewhere in the Middle East, awaiting orders.
Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, when asked why Baghdad has not reined in the militias, acknowledged the difficulty, noting that the groups hold significant military, organizational, and parliamentary power. This admission underscores one of the central challenges: the Kurdistan Region is absorbing a devastating campaign while the federal government in Baghdad appears unable, or unwilling, to stop it.
