US Central Command condemns Iranian strikes in northern Iraq

ERBIL, Iraq

The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has condemned Iranian strikes that targeted locations of Kurdish armed groups in northern Iraq.

"We condemn this evening's Iranian cross-border missile and unmanned aerial vehicles strikes near Erbil, Iraq," CENTCOM said in a statement late Sunday.

“Such indiscriminate and illegal attacks place civilians at risk, violate Iraqi sovereignty, and jeopardize the hard-fought security and stability of Iraq and the Middle East,” it added.

Drone and missile strikes targeted the offices of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (IKDP) and Komala Party in the towns of Koy Sanjaq and Zirguez in northern Iraq late Sunday.

According to local media, one person was killed in the attacks, for which the Anti-Terrorism Unit in the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) blamed Iran.

The offices of the two Kurdish groups had come under similar drone and missile attacks from Iran last week.

Iran accuses Kurdish armed groups stationed in northern Iraq of fanning anti-government protests in Iran.

Iran has been rocked by nationwide protests since September over the death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman in police custody.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar