In Statement to Kurdistan24, US Condemns Attacks on Peshmerga, Offers Condolences to Families
U.S. Deputy State Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott strongly condemned Iranian missile strikes that killed six Peshmerga fighters in the Kurdistan Region, calling the attack “outrageous”.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A wave of reactions followed attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region, as the United States strongly condemned the strike near Erbil while officials confirmed casualties among Peshmerga forces in separate missile attacks.
In a statement to Kurdistan24, US Deputy State Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott said: “The United States strongly condemns the widespread attacks by Iran and its Iraqi terrorist militia proxies against U.S. citizens and our partners across the Middle East, including the outrageous attack today near Erbil in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. We offer condolences to the families of the Peshmerga killed and wish a speedy recovery to those injured.”
Pigott’s remarks came as broader details emerged regarding attacks impacting the Kurdistan Region.
Earlier, the Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs confirmed that six Peshmerga fighters were martyred and 30 others wounded following ballistic missile strikes in the Soran border area.
According to the ministry, the attacks targeted a headquarters of the seventh Infantry Division of the first Sector and a force from the fifth Infantry Division in two separate incidents. It stated that six ballistic missiles were used in what it described as a “hostile act,” resulting in casualties among its forces.
The ministry said the strikes represented a violation of security in the Kurdistan Region and caused losses among Peshmerga personnel stationed in the area. It confirmed that the wounded were receiving medical attention.
In its statement, the ministry reiterated that it “possess[es] every right to repel any aggression committed against our people and our land,” while calling for an end to attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region.
It also appealed to the Iraqi federal government, the international community, and allied partners not to remain silent regarding these violations and to take action to end what it described as ongoing aggression.
The ministry expressed condolences to the families of those martyred and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, underscoring the human toll of the incident.
The strikes took place in the Soran border area, near the Kurdistan Region’s northeastern frontier, where Peshmerga units are deployed as part of regional security.
Separately, Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former US Ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq, reacted in a statement published on X, saying: “I am shocked, appalled and angered by the Iranian regime's unwarranted missile attack against #Kurdistan. They have killed and wounded a number of Peshmerga, the courageous defenders of Iraqi Kurdistan who have not committed any aggression against their neighbor.”
He added: “The Iranian regime must be held accountable for this unprovoked criminal act. Our friends and allies are being targeted only because Iran cannot reach us directly - yet. To do so is their ultimate goal and one that this regime will pursue relentlessly if they remain in power.”
Khalilzad continued: “This hard truth must inform @potus approach on how the conflict ends. A conclusion that leaves a rogue regime in charge will be an ongoing headache for the U.S., our friends and partners in the region including Kurdistan and negatively shape the strategic future of the region. It must be precluded.”
As international reactions intensify, officials continue to highlight the scale of the attacks and their impact on Peshmerga forces, amid calls for accountability and an end to further escalation.