Hana Human Rights Organization condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s missile attacks, April 27, 2026, by the Islamic Republic of Iran on the Surdash region in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and the deliberate targeting of drinking water sources in the civilian headquarters of the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.
According to information received by Hana, these attacks targeted resources used to meet the vital needs of individuals present at the site, including civilians. Targeting drinking water is not merely the destruction of a facility; it is a direct assault on the right to life, health, and the minimum conditions for human survival.
Under International Humanitarian Law, attacks on civilian property are prohibited unless the property, by its nature, location, purpose, or use, makes an effective contribution to military action and its destruction offers a definite and direct military advantage at the time. This rule is stipulated in Article 52 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions. Furthermore, Article 54 of Additional Protocol I and Article 14 of Additional Protocol II prohibit attacking, destroying, or rendering useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, including drinking water installations and supplies.
From the perspective of International Criminal Law, the intentional attack on civilian property and the deprivation of civilians of objects indispensable to survival provided the material and mental elements are established can be investigated as a war crime. Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court recognizes intentional attacks against civilian property and the use of deprivation of objects essential for civilian survival, under specified conditions, as instances of war crimes.
These attacks also violate human rights obligations concerning the right to life, the right to health, and the right of access to safe water; rights protected under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Articles 11 and 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and General Comment No. 15 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Hana emphasizes that no vague security or military claims can justify a direct attack on the vital resources of civilians. The Hana Human Rights Organization calls for an immediate, independent, and documented investigation into these attacks, the preservation of evidence, and the accountability of those who ordered and executed them within the framework of international and criminal responsibility.
Hana firmly declares: drinking water must never be turned into a tool of war, pressure, or punishment against civilians.