Twin bomb attacks target PDK-Iran headquarters near Erbil

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Two explosions on Tuesday night targeted the Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK)-Iran headquarters in the city of Koya in Erbil province.

Following the explosions, ambulances rushed to the scene and transferred the wounded people to nearby hospitals.

A spokesperson at the Koya Hospital told Kurdistan24 some of the wounded were moved to the Erbil hospital due to their critical health conditions.

“Now, we cannot blame any side for the attacks on the PDK headquarters,” Kamal Kareemi, a member of the PDK political bureau, told Kurdistan24.

The explosions took place around 10:30 p.m. local time.

According to the PDK announcement on Wednesday, six people were killed and four more injured.

The victims were members of the PDK political bureau Ali Qoitasi and Wahab Mir Khzri, PDK Peshmerga fighters Salar Baqri and Arsalan Abbas Niya, a member of the PDK Democratic Youth Union Nasir Kareemi, and a security member of the Kurdistan Region Adnan Abdullah.

The announcement also mentioned four others were wounded, including two PDK Peshmerga fighters and two security members.

The PDK condemned the “terrorist” attack and sent condolences to the families of the victims as well as wishing a speedy recovery for the wounded.

The spokesperson of Koya security told Kurdistan24 on Wednesday another security member named Sangar Ali died in hospital following his critical injuries.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Moreover, during a press conference, the Secretary-General of the PDK Khalid Azizi accused Iran of being behind the twin explosions.

However, an official report revealed an investigation into the bombings with the help of the Kurdistan Region Security members was ongoing.

The following footage shows the site of the explosions in front of the PDK headquarters in Koya:

The Iranian Kurdish PDK previously separated from the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Iran (PDKI) in 2006.

The PDK is a Kurdish political party in Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhilat) that seeks to achieve Kurdish national rights within a democratic and federal republic of Iran.

PDK was accepted as a full member of the Socialist International at its November 2015 Council meeting held in Luanda, Angola.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany

(Additional reporting by Mewan Dolamari)