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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A drone attack targeted a convoy that included Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) General Commander Mazloum Abdi and US military personnel in Sulaimani province on Friday, according to American officials cited by US-based media. The Kurdish-led force has denied that Abdi was a target and said the “fake news” was politically motivated.
US Department of Defence Spokesperson Philip Ventura told Rudaw in an email early Saturday that a convoy was struck in Sulaimani city.
“We can confirm there was a strike on a convoy Friday in Sulaymaniyah that included U.S. military personnel. Fortunately, we can also confirm there were no casualties,” Ventura said, adding that an investigation is underway.
He did not mention Abdi or speculate who carried out the strike. However, unnamed US officials told the Wall Street Journal that Abdi and three US personnel were in the convoy and some Western officials said they suspect Ankara was behind the attack.
Farhad Shami, head of the SDF’s media centre, dismissed the reports as “fake news,” adding the commander is “on duty.” Abdi himself condemned the strike, but did not comment on whether or not he was there.
The drone strike hit near the perimeter of the Sulaimani’s airport and was first reported by local authorities as an explosion with no mention of a cause or persons involved.
“This evening, April 7, 2023 at 4:18 pm, an explosion happened near the fences of the Sulaimani International Airport, which caused no material damage or casualties,” read a statement from a Sulaimani security (Asayish) unit based in the airport.
The blast sparked a fire that was extinguished and an investigation is underway, the Asayish added.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) issued a statement expressing their concern and pointed a finger of blame at the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which controls Sulaimani province and is accused by Turkey of being close to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) - armed group struggling for the increased rights of Kurds in Turkey but considered a terrorist organisation by Ankara.
“This dangerous situation is the result of the occupation of government institutions and their use for illegal activities,” read the statement from KRG spokesperson Jotiar Adil.
More statements followed from Adil and PUK officials, intensifying a war of words that has existed for years between the PUK and Adil’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Tensions are high between the longtime political rivals over upcoming elections, transparency of oil revenues, and the assassination of a former PUK colonel in Erbil last year.
The Kurdistan Region presidency, in a statement on Saturday morning, called on all parties to “exercise restraint” while the investigation into the strike is ongoing.
“Rather than blaming one another they should take steps to remove the reasons that led to this,” the statement said. “We assure all the residents of the Kurdistan Region, especially the beloved city of Sulaimani, that their security and stability, life and prosperity are the priority of Kurdistan Region’s institutions and we will not allow them to be put at risk for any reason.”
The governor of Sulaimani, Haval Abubakir, condemning the attack in a statement, also addressed the KDP-PUK tensions. He called on “the political parties to end their differences and not make Kurdistan the victim of their own conflicts.”
The explosion comes a few days after Turkey imposed a three-month flight ban on Sulaimani’s airport because of what Turkey’s foreign ministry dubbed “infiltration” by the PKK.
The ban is believed to be related to a helicopter crash in Duhok province on March 15, killing anti-terrorism forces affiliated to the US-backed SDF who were travelling to Sulaimani. Ankara accuses the SDF of being the Syrian wing of the PKK.
Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish presidential spokesperson, told the country’s state media on Wednesday that “the PKK has a very serious establishment in Sulaimani” and Ankara will not disregard this.
Kalin has also warned that Ankara could take more measures against Sulaimani.
The SDF is the main ally of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) in northeast Syria (Rojava).
Abdi is among Rojava officials who are wanted by Ankara for alleged links to the PKK.
Washington correspondent Diyar Kurda contributed to this article.
Updated at 11:14 am
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