Erbil faces repeated drone attacks as Kurdistan disarmament deadline looms

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Region's capital Erbil has come under repeated drone strikes as a September 30, 2026 disarmament deadline approaches. The Kurdistan Region's Counter Terrorism Unit said international coalition forces intercepted three drones in Erbil's airspace between 02:17 and 02:25 on Friday. Regional data shows Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have been hit by 16 drones and three missiles between August 1 and 14. Eight of the drones and all three missiles struck Erbil, while eight drones hit Sulaymaniyah. A day before the coalition intercepts, a drone fell on a residential building in Erbil, and on August 12 four locations linked to three camps of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups on the city's outskirts were targeted. Erbil-based political analyst Mohammed Zenkene said the Baghdad administration is struggling to manage security files and that coordination has fallen short. Security expert Adnan Kenani called for a thorough investigation into the origin of the attacks and said Iraqi territory must not be used against neighboring countries. Security expert Seif Raad said a disarmament plan exists on paper but is being applied unevenly on the ground, arguing that Iran is targeting the U.S. presence in the region.