Iran-aligned Iraqi faction denies role in Erbil drone strike

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada, anIran-aligned faction within the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), denied onThursday that Iraqi groups were behind the recent drone attack on Erbil,linking any future action to developments in the US-Iran confrontation.

“There were no operationslaunched from Iraq toward Erbil [the capital of the Kurdistan Region], and noresistance faction carried out any action of this kind,” spokesperson KazemAl-Fartousi told Shafaq News. He framed strikes on US interests and militarybases across the region as part of the wider conflict between Washington andTehran, arguing that it could continue “without necessarily escalating into anopen war.”

Addressing calls fordisarmament, Al-Fartousi tied the faction’s arsenal to the presence of “occupation[US-led Coalition] forces” and threats to the country’s sovereignty,maintaining that relinquishing its weapons before those conditions end is“unrealistic.”

The Kurdistan RegionCounter-Terrorism Service reported on Wednesday that Coalition forces intercepted anddestroyed eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil between 8:53 p.m. and 9:20p.m. local time, preventing casualties and damage. Prime Minister andCommander-in-Chief Ali Al-Zaidi condemned the assault as “a malicious attempt”to destabilize Iraq and ordered federal agencies to coordinate with the KurdistanRegion’s authorities to identify those responsible and prevent furtherincidents.
من منطلق مسؤوليتنا الدستورية، ندين بشدة الاعتداء من خلال الطيران المسير، الذي اخترق أجواء مدينة أربيل في إقليم كردستان العراق، ونؤكد عدم التهاون إزاء هذه المحاولات الآثمة، التي تحاول بيأس أن تنال من استقرار شعبنا ومساره الواثق في بناء الدولة والسلم المجتمعي.وجهنا الأجهزة…
— علي فالح الزيدي (@AliFalihAlzaidy) July 16, 2026
Al-Fartousi’s commentscoincided with Al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington, where US officials pressedBaghdad to dismantle Iran-aligned armed groups and curb Tehran’s influence, linkingdeeper economic and defense cooperation to tangible progress. Standingalongside President Donald Trump, the prime minister confirmed that thegovernment had already taken possession of weapons from some factions andreiterated that bringing all arms under state control remained a centralobjective.

Read more: Washington links US oil investment to Iraq’s disarmament deadline

“It is to restrict thepossession of weapons to the state,” Al-Zaidi declared. “This is a decision. Itis not an option.”

Baghdad seeks to place allarms outside official control under government authority before the Sept. 30deadline marking the end of the US-led Coalition mission against ISIS. Severalfactions have agreed to join the state security framework, but Kataib Hezbollah,Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba, and Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada continue to resistdisarmament, insisting their arsenals remain part of the “resistance” untilforeign troops leave Iraq.

IRI restated that position onJuly 11, vowing neither to surrender its weapons nor halt efforts to expand itsmilitary and security capabilities. “Our arms, carried by our fighters on thebattlefield, have never been open to negotiation.”

Read more: September weapons deadline leaves terms of disarmament unresolved

The Islamic Resistance in Iraqcomprises Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, andKataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada, all designated by the United States as terroristorganizations. Since US-Israeli strikes on Iran began on Feb. 28, the umbrellagroup claims to have launched more than 200 attacks on US military facilitiesin Iraq. ...