Kurdistan Region, hit by over 1,000 missiles and drones, warns US against leaving it defenseless
Days before US forces withdraw, the Kurdistan Region — a target of more than 1,000 missiles and drones during the Iran-US confrontation — has reminded Baghdad of its duty to protect the region's airspace. The Peshmerga Ministry said it is "ready for any scenario."
RastinewsThe Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga Ministry has warned that the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on September 30 raises security concerns given current conditions on the ground.
The ministry issued a written statement on the pullout of American and allied forces from Iraq, noting that the withdrawal follows an agreement reached between Baghdad and Washington and its allies.
The ministry pointed out that the withdrawal comes at a "sensitive time," with security conditions in Iraq and the wider Middle East still unstable.
"Withdrawing without providing a defense system is worrying"
The Peshmerga Ministry said it was concerned that the US was leaving the Kurdistan Region without providing any defense system.
The statement noted that the Kurdistan Region's airspace is part of Iraqi airspace, and that protecting it is among the federal government's core responsibilities. Baghdad, the ministry said, must be prepared to fulfill that responsibility when needed.
Over 1,000 missiles and drones
The ministry reported that the Kurdistan Region came under more than 1,000 missile and drone attacks during the recent confrontation between the US and Iran.
Some of the strikes hit civilian residential areas, the statement said, causing deaths, injuries and material damage.
"We are ready for any development"
The Peshmerga Ministry said Peshmerga forces would continue to protect the Kurdistan Region's territory and people. "We are ready for any possibility and any new development," the ministry said.
The statement stressed that Peshmerga forces are part of Iraq's defense system and maintain a constitutional and security-based relationship with the Iraqi army, adding that coordination between the two sides would continue.
The ministry also thanked the US and its allies for the support they have provided to the Kurdistan Region and Peshmerga forces over the years.
Withdrawal timeline: end of September
Under the agreement reached between the US and Iraq, the bulk of US forces are set to leave Iraq and the Kurdistan Region by the end of September 2026.