France condemns drone strike on Peshmerga base

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The French Ministry for European and Foreign Affairs on Sunday in a statement condemned a drone strike on a Peshmerga base in the Pirmam District of Erbil.

“These violent and destabilizing actions must stop and their perpetrators must be identified and prosecuted,” the statement read.

The attack was on Sunday before dawn and resulted in material damage only.

“France calls for respect by all parties for the sovereignty, territorial integrity of Iraq and the stability and security of the autonomous region of Kurdistan within it,” the statement further added.

The drone attack is believed to be the first such instance of Iraqi militias targeting a Peshmerga military installation, whereas they previously targeted US and Coalition bases since Oct. 17.

In a response to the attack, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said “The federal government should see any attack on the Kurdistan Region as an attack on all of Iraq and respond with the appropriate action. Inaction will continue to embolden the outlaws.”

Later on Sunday, another one-way attack drone was shot down near Erbil International Airport at 4:54 p.m.

Read More: One-way attack drone shot down near Erbil airport

Moreover, on Dec. 8, an unidentified attack drone crashed into a residential building in Erbil at 6:05 p.m., causing no casualties.

On the same day before dawn, at least three rockets targeted the US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone, landing on the outskirts of the district housing government and diplomatic buildings, an Iraqi security official said.

Iranian-backed groups have stepped up rocket and drone attacks on U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq, including those in the Kurdistan Region following the eruption of the Hamas-Israel war, sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7 bloody attack on the southern communities of Israel.

Editing by Dastan Muwaffaq