US citizen killed in Iraqi Kurdistan shelling on Wednesday: State Dept
The United States says that a citizen was killed in Iraqi Kurdistan shelling in light of an IRGC counter-terrorism operation.
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Smoke rises in the Koy Sanjaq district of Erbil, Iraq, on September 28, 2022 (Anadolu Agency)
A US national was killed in a rocket attack on the northern Iraqi region of Kurdistan, US State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said on Thursday.
The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it conducted on Saturday an anti-terrorist operation in the northern Iraqi Kurdistan region in light of terrorists causing unrest and riots in cities along the Western Iranian borders.
The IRGC Ground Force conducted its operation against the Komala and Kurdistan Democratic Party terrorist groups after the groups illegally sent armed individuals to Iranian cities over the past few days.
"We can confirm that a US citizen was killed as a result of a rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region yesterday, but due to privacy considerations, I don't have any further comments to provide," Patel announced in a press briefing.
The Iranian forces said that Tehran had several times on various occasions warned the officials of the Iraqi Kurdistan region about terrorist groups and their activities in the northern region. However, according to the IRGC, the local authorities failed to take proper measures to curb terrorist activity.
Additionally, the IRGC informed the Iraqi authorities of their intentions to conduct the operation, calling on civilians to evacuate any sites that are near the headquarters of "terrorist organizations".
The border guards of the East Azerbaijan province announced Friday the arrest of a terrorist cell, including two elements who were planning to carry out sabotage operations inside the country, and in possession of a number of weapons and ammunition.
