President Barzani Demands Decisive Response After Repeated Attacks on Kurdistan Region

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A stark warning emerged from Erbil as President Masoud Barzani called for urgent and decisive action, declaring that continued attacks on the Kurdistan Region amount to open aggression and cannot be addressed through condemnation alone.

On Sunday, President Masoud Barzani issued a statement addressing recent attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region. He stressed that the Kurdistan Region has never been a party to the conflicts and tensions unfolding across the region, yet remains subjected to repeated assaults.

President Barzani stated that certain actors, without facing deterrence, have made it their primary focus to target the Kurdistan Region, repeatedly launching unjustified attacks against the region and Peshmerga forces, posing a direct threat to the lives and stability of its people.

For the first time, he revealed that since the beginning of the current war, Barzani headquarters has been targeted five times. He added that over the past years, dozens of attacks using drones and missiles have struck the Kurdistan Region and Peshmerga positions, resulting in civilian casualties, including deaths and injuries.

He further disclosed that since the outbreak of the war, more than 450 missile and drone attacks have been carried out against the Kurdistan Region and Peshmerga bases. Within that same period, five attacks specifically targeted President Barzani headquarters. “We remained silent to avoid creating fear and anger among the public,” he said.

Referring to the latest incident, President Barzani noted that on the previous day, a drone targeted the residence of the President of the Kurdistan Region in Duhok. He emphasized: “This is not about a house or a headquarters; every part of Kurdistan and every Kurdish home holds value for us.”

In his statement, President Barzani described these attacks as “open warmongering, a major injustice, aggression, and a grave violation against the Kurdistan Region,” stressing that they require a “serious and decisive solution.” He added that condemnation, phone calls, messages, and investigative committees are insufficient to resolve the issue.

He called on Iraqi authorities to take a clear stance, stating that they must either acknowledge their inability to prevent such actions by outlaw groups or take serious measures to protect the state and prevent further unlawful attacks on the Kurdistan Region.

President Barzani reaffirmed that the people of Kurdistan remain committed to defending their peaceful message and legitimate cause, declaring that no threat, attack, or adversary has been or will be able to break their determination.

President Barzani’s message draws a firm line, urging Baghdad and the international community to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive steps to halt what he describes as ongoing aggression against the Kurdistan Region.

The full message from President Barzani:

“In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Kurdistan Region has never been a party to the regional conflicts, tensions, or wars. Regrettably, however, there are certain groups who—unchecked by anyone—focus their primary efforts on antagonizing the Kurdistan Region. They continually and unjustly attack the Region and the Peshmerga forces, posing a constant threat to the lives and stability of the people of Kurdistan.

Over the past years, these groups have launched dozens of unjust and unprovoked drone and missile attacks against the Kurdistan Region and Peshmerga bases, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of innocent civilians. Since the onset of the current conflict, the Kurdistan Region and Peshmerga positions have been targeted more than 450 times by missiles and drones. During this same period, our own headquarters were attacked five times; however, we maintained our silence to avoid inciting public anxiety or anger. Furthermore, yesterday in the city of Duhok, the residence of the President of the Kurdistan Region was targeted by a drone. This issue is not about a specific individual’s home or headquarters—every place of Kurdistan and every Kurdish household holds immense value to us.

These types of attacks are overt acts of provocation and represent a grave injustice, transgression, and violation against the Kurdistan Region. They demand a serious and decisive resolution. In truth, this situation cannot be resolved through mere condemnations, phone calls, messages, or committees. The Iraqi authorities must clarify their position: they must either declare that they are unable to restrain these outlaw groups, or they must take serious action to uphold the state's authority and implement rigorous measures to ensure that these unwarranted attacks on the Kurdistan Region never occur again.

We reaffirm here that the people of Kurdistan, with an iron will, shall continue to defend their message of peace and their just cause. No threat, attack, or enemy has ever been—or will ever be—able to break that will.

Masoud Barzani
March 29, 2026”