KRG Prime Minister Condemns Drone Strike on Peshmerga Home Near Erbil
In his statement, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said he was “deeply saddened and aggrieved” by the attack, emphasizing his condemnation and, adding, “targeting civilians and the homes of citizens is a war crime.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Government, Masrour Barzani, said a drone strike on the outskirts of Erbil targeted a Peshmerga member’s residence, resulting in the deaths of the individual and members of his family, according to a statement released on Tuesday.
In the statement, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said he was “deeply saddened and aggrieved” by the attack, which he said struck a civilian home. He condemned the incident and described the targeting of civilians and residential areas as a violation of international norms.
“I am deeply saddened and aggrieved to hear the news of the drone attack on the home of a Peshmerga on the outskirts of Erbil, which resulted in the martyrdom of himself and his family,” PM Barzani said in the statement. He added, “I condemn this heinous crime in every possible way and denounce the perpetrators.”
The prime minister said that attacks on civilian homes constitute a war crime and called attention to the broader impact on residents in the Kurdistan Region.
“Targeting civilians and the homes of citizens is a war crime,” he said, adding that the Kurdistan Regional Government was conveying “the plea of the innocent people of Kurdistan to the entire world.”
Prime Minister Barzani also called for an end to what he described as repeated attacks on civilians.
“We convey the plea of the innocent people of Kurdistan to the entire world so that a limit is set to the oppression committed against them, and so that the people of Kurdistan are no longer attacked under unjustified pretexts,” the statement said.
I am deeply saddened by the news of a drone attack on the residence of a Peshmerga family in Erbil, which resulted in the martyrdom of him and his wife. I condemn this heinous crime in the strongest terms and denounce its perpetrators.
— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) April 7, 2026
The targeting of civilians and civilian…
The condemnation followed reports from regional authorities detailing the circumstances of the drone strike.
According to the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism, the attack occurred at approximately 12:15 a.m. on Tuesday when an explosive-laden drone struck a residential home in the village of Zargazawi, located in the Dara Shakran sub-district of Erbil province.
The counterterrorism authority said the strike killed two civilians identified as Musa Anwar Rasul and Mujda Asaad Hasan. In its statement, the directorate described the incident as a drone attack launched from Iran and condemned the strike as a violation of international law.
The Directorate General of Counter Terrorism said the drone directly impacted the residence, causing fatalities among the occupants. It characterized the attack as targeting a civilian area and issued a condemnation in what it described as the strongest terms.
Additional details were provided earlier by local authorities in Erbil province. Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw told Kurdistan24 that the attack took place after a series of drone incursions beginning shortly after noon on Monday. According to the governor, security forces intercepted multiple drones, but one managed to reach a residential house in Zargazawi village, resulting in casualties.
Khoshnaw confirmed that two residents were killed in the strike and described the incident as part of a pattern of attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region. He also raised concerns about the response from federal authorities in Baghdad.
“The Iraqi government has remained silent in the face of attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region,” Khoshnaw said, according to remarks carried by Kurdistan24. He urged federal officials to take action to prevent such incidents and emphasized the need for accountability.
The governor said that authorities in the Kurdistan Region have not been involved in ongoing regional conflicts and have focused on protecting civilians. He described attacks on residential areas as unacceptable and called for stronger measures to address security threats.
“In the face of violence perpetrated by these terrorist groups against the Kurdistan Region, the Iraqi government has shown no decisive position so far,” Khoshnaw said.
The sequence of events described by local and security officials indicates that the drone strike was part of a broader pattern of aerial threats targeting the region. While multiple drones were reportedly intercepted, at least one was able to evade defenses and strike a residential structure.
The statements from both the prime minister and regional authorities emphasized the civilian nature of the target and the casualties resulting from the strike. Officials consistently described the victims as non-combatants and underscored the impact on families living in affected areas.
The identification of the victims by the Directorate General of Counter Terrorism provided further detail on those killed in the attack. According to the directorate, the victims were a married couple residing in the targeted home.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has previously raised concerns about cross-border drone attacks and their impact on civilian populations. In this case, officials focused on the immediate consequences of the strike and the need for protective measures.
The incident has drawn attention from both political and security leadership within the Kurdistan Region. The prime minister’s statement framed the attack as part of a broader pattern affecting civilians, while local officials focused on operational details and immediate casualties.
The incident occurred in a rural area of Erbil province, according to the locations specified by local officials. Zargazawi village, in the Dara Shakran sub-district, was identified as the site of the strike.