Removal of terrorist bases in northern Iraq gets underway

The process of elimination of bases that accommodate the anti-Iran terrorist groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has kicked off as the deadline of September 19 set by Iran approaches, a source said.

The informed source told Tasnim on September 13 that the bases of terrorist and separatist groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region began to be dismantled this morning.

According to the source, all bases of terrorist groups, including the Komalah, Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK), the Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) along the common border with Iran and in the other parts of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region near the border areas will be dismantled.

The terrorist groups are going to be relocated to a base deep inside the soil of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, the source added.

“After this stage, the separatist groups will be fully disarmed, otherwise (if the bases of terrorists are not properly dismantled or if a number of them refuse to be relocated), we (Iran) will return to the conditions before the agreement (with KGR) and will fulfill our duty to safeguard the country’s security,” the source stated.

In July, Iran’s highest-ranking military commander cautioned the Iraqi government that its failure to meet a deadline of September for action against hostile armed groups in its northern regions will result in a fresh round of Iranian military strikes against them.

“Armed secessionist groups are there in northern Iraq that cause insecurity at our borders,” Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri said.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched several rounds of military strikes on the positions of separatist groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region in 2022.

The first stage of the attacks began on September 24, after terrorists’ move to ignite riots and unrest along border cities west of Iran.

The move by IRGC Ground Force to hit Iraqi-based Komalah and Democrat terrorist groups came after illegal entry by these groups’ armed teams into the Iranian border cities.

The IRGC has said, “These terrorists - who are backed by the global arrogance and are based in the Iraqi northern region – were forced to flee the country after accepting heavy casualties.”

The IRGC underlined that Iran on many occasions has warned officials of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region about the terrorist groups’ activities in the region but they have failed to pay necessary attention to the warnings and take proper measures to prevent terrorist moves.

It has also described the operations by the Iranian forces as part of efforts to ensure durable security along borders and punish criminal terrorists.