Local and International reaction to the attack on Peshmerga forces by the PKK

The Kurdistan Region Presidency and Government, as well as the Federal Government condemned the attack by the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on Peshmerga forces in the Duhok Governorate on Wednesday, 4 November, in which one Peshmerga was killed and several others were wounded.

The Kurdistan Region Presidency said in its statement, “Such violations, which pose a threat to the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region, cannot be justified,” and added, “The Kurdistan Region already struggles with several other issues, thus the PKK should not attempt to deteriorate the situation in the region.” The statement by the Kurdistan Region Presidency also reminded the PKK, “as always, we assert that the PKK must respect the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region and its legitimate institutions and take all conflicts away from the Kurdistan Region."

The Kurdistan Regional Government also said in a statement on Wednesday after concluding its weekly Council of Ministers’ meeting, “Peshmerga forces have a mandate to protect the constitutional and federal status of the Kurdistan Region. Any attack on Peshmerga forces constitutes an attack on the Kurdistan Region, its institutions and its people.”

The Federal Government in Baghdad on Thursday, 5 November, rejected the attack on the Peshmerga Forces. “The Iraqi Government affirmed its strong rejection of the attack that took place inside Iraqi territory, and considered it an assault on the country’s sovereignty,” according to the statement by the Office of the Prime Minister, Mustafa Kadhimi.

The United States and France also condemned the attack. The United States issued a statement which reads, “the United States strongly condemns the attacks by the terrorist PKK organization yesterday against the Kurdistan Regional security officials in Iraq. We remain steadfast in our support for Iraqi Prime Minister Kadhimi and the Kurdistan Regional Government in their efforts to root out terrorism, and we extend our sympathy and condolences to the families of those killed and injured in these attacks.”

France on Saturday, 7 November, also issued a statement condemning the attack. “France strongly condemns the attacks carried out in recent days in the Governorate of Duhok against the security forces of the autonomous region of Kurdistan, which have claimed several victims in their ranks,” reads the statement.