Attack on Defenseless Civilian Camps in the Kurdistan Region is a Clear Example of a War Crime
The renewed attack by the Islamic Republic on the civilian camps of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in the Kurdistan Region once again exposed the criminal nature of a policy that for years has targeted the lives of defenseless people, political refugees, and the families of Kurdish activists in the Kurdistan Region.
According to a report published Friday afternoon on the website of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran has, for the third time in the past two months, attacked the party’s civilian camps in the Kurdistan Region using missiles and drones. As a result of this attack, Shahin Azarbarzin lost his life, and his father, Nader Azarbarzin, was seriously injured. We express our deep sorrow and firmly condemn this criminal act. We extend our condolences on the death of Shahin Azarbarzin to his family and to the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and we wish Nader Azarbarzin a full recovery.
It is also reported that in another incident, a group of Peshmerga from the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan was targeted elsewhere. In this attack, two female Peshmerga, Neda Miri and Samira Allahyari, were killed, and several others were injured. We express our sympathy to the families of the victims, extend condolences to the Democratic Party and the comrades of the deceased, and wish a swift recovery to those injured.
Targeting civilian camps “places where the families of Peshmerga and political refugees reside” is not a “security measure,” but a clear and explicit example of a war crime. These camps are neither secret military bases nor legitimate military targets. They have been officially established within the framework of agreements with the government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government and, in coordination with relevant institutions, including UN refugee agencies, have served as places of residence for the families of Kurdish political activists from Iran. Life exists in these camps: children, women, the elderly, families, and refugees live there. Political, cultural, and civil activities take place in these locations, and this reality makes their civilian nature undeniable.
Under such circumstances, targeting these areas with missiles and drones constitutes a direct attack on defenseless people. Attacking homes, residential areas, civil gathering spaces, and refugee camps has no political, military, or security justification.
Another important point is that these attacks have continued even as the temporary de-escalation of war and direct confrontation between the Islamic Republic on one side and the United States and Israel on the other has had no effect on stopping them. This clearly shows that the Islamic Republic’s objective is not merely a reaction to a regional wartime situation, but the continuation of a policy based on intimidation of families and refugees. In other words, even when tensions in the international arena relatively decrease, the regime’s machinery of repression continues to operate over the skies of the Kurdistan Region.
As far as attacks on civilian camps are concerned, they constitute an assault on the right to asylum, on human security, on the right to life, and on the most basic legal and moral principles. Through these attacks, the Islamic Republic seeks to send the message that its opponents, even in exile, even in official and recognized camps, even among their families, are not safe from assault and terror. This is the logic of terror that must be confronted.
Therefore, the responsibility of the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government, and international institutions ‘especially the United Nations’ is extremely serious. Silence, inaction, and merely expressing concern effectively pave the way for the repetition of such crimes. These attacks must be immediately and explicitly condemned, and practical mechanisms must be established to protect the lives of political refugees and the residents of these camps.
The attack on defenseless civilian camps in the Kurdistan Region is an attack on vulnerable human beings and a clear example of a war crime. This crime will neither be forgotten nor should it go unanswered. Defending the lives of refugees, the families of political activists, and defenseless people is an urgent human and political duty.
