Kurdistan leaders condemn deadly drone strike on civilians near Erbil

The leadership of the Kurdistan region of Iraq condemned a nighttime drone strike on April 7 on a residential building in the village of Zargazi, on the outskirts of Erbil Province, which killed a married couple.

Nechirvan Barzani, President of Iraqi Kurdistan, described the incident as a “terrorist act” and stressed that such attacks are unacceptable under any circumstances. He called on the Iraqi federal government to take responsibility for preventing similar crimes in the future and ensuring the safety of Kurdish civilians, Caliber.Az reports.

زۆر بە توندی سەرکۆنەی ئەو هێرشە تيرۆرستييه‌ ده‌كه‌م كه‌ دره‌نگانى شه‌وى ڕابردوو به‌ درۆن كرايه‌ سه‌ر ماڵی هاووڵاتیيه‌ك لە گوندى زه‌رگه‌زه‌ويى سه‌ر به‌ پارێزگاى هه‌ولێر و له‌ ئه‌نجامدا زۆر به‌داخه‌وه‌ دوو هاوسه‌ر شه‌هيد بوون.

پرسە و سەرەخۆشیی قووڵم ئاراستەی بنەماڵە و کەسوکاری…

— Nechirvan Barzani (@IKRPresident) April 7, 2026

Kurdistan Regional Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also denounced the strikes, labeling attacks on civilians and private property as a war crime.

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.

The targeting of civilians and civilian…

— Masrour Barzani (@masrourbarzani) April 7, 2026

He expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the Peshmerga family and emphasized the importance of conveying the victims’ plight to the international community. 

Masrour Barzani urged global actors to take action to end unjustified aggression against the civilian population of the Kurdistan Region.

By Sabina Mammadli