Hana Human Rights Organization expresses grave concern over the reported ballistic missile strike attributed to the Islamic Republic of Iran against a Peshmerga position in the Soran area of Erbil province on 24 March 2026. According to public reporting and statements attributed to the Kurdistan Region’s Peshmerga Ministry, the attack killed six Peshmerga members and injured at least 30 others.
This reported strike must also be understood in the broader context of the current war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, during which Iranian missiles and drones have reportedly struck not only military targets but also neighboring states and civilian areas across the region. Public reporting indicates that Iranian attacks during this period have reached Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, Gulf states, and civilian locations in Erbil, including an incident in which debris from an intercepted drone hit a house and injured civilians.
If confirmed, such conduct raises serious concerns under international law. Cross border missile attacks on the territory of Iraq engage the rules governing state sovereignty and the prohibition on the use of force under Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter. Where attacks affect civilians or civilian objects, they also implicate the fundamental obligations of distinction, proportionality, and precaution under international humanitarian law. Hana therefore calls for a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation into this reported attack, including the identity of those responsible, the legal basis asserted for the strike, and its compliance with applicable international law. All parties must refrain from actions that expand hostilities and place populations in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region at further risk.