Mick Hartley

Talking of the Kurds….conflicting reports from the Jerusalem Post. On the one hand – The Kurdistan region of Iraq fears being dragged into Iran war:

In the five days since the US and Israel began airstrikes on Iran, the Iranian regime has lashed out at many countries. One of the places being hit hardest is the autonomous Kurdistan Region of Northern Iraq. This area is a successful region that is run by a Kurdish government.

For decades, the Kurdistan government has sought to navigate the complexities of the region, balancing ties with Baghdad with its important role as a crossroads of the region. It sits on the border of Iran and Turkey, two powerful countries. Today, the Kurdish leaders in Erbil are worried that they could be dragged into conflict in Iran.

Their fears have already been realized. Iranian drones and missiles have struck in the Kurdistan region. Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are also carrying out attacks. The attacks have targeted US forces in the Kurdistan region, as well as Kurdish Iranian opposition groups.

These groups have bases in northern Iraq, and they have a community of Kurds who have fled Iran over the years. Iranian drones have targeted not only these opposition groups, but also the housing where Kurdish Iranian women and refugees live.

In Erbil, the sound of drone attacks is frequent. Many drones have targeted Erbil International Airport. Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said on Thursday that the Region “will not engage in any conflict or military escalation.”

On the other hand – Hundreds of Kurdish fighters launch ground offensive in Iran:

Hundreds of Kurdish fighters have begun ground activity inside Iran from areas near the Iraqi border, Israeli and American officials confirmed to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, in a development that could open an additional front against Tehran as regional tensions continue to escalate.

The Kurdish forces operating along the Iran-Iraq border are considered one of the most prominent armed opposition groups confronting the regime in Tehran. The organizations involved are Iranian Kurdish groups that maintain thousands of fighters, most of whom operate from territory in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq along the frontier with Iran….

The strategic concept behind the activity, the sources said, is that fighting along the border areas would force the Iranian regime to divert military and security resources there, potentially easing pressure on protesters and opposition elements in major cities inside Iran.

A senior Kurdish source said on Tuesday evening that in their assessment “there is a major opportunity now,” citing the heavy military pressure currently being placed on Iran and the strikes targeting regime infrastructure.

Keep ’em guessing.